My Cinderella Story
by mauigurl26
Summary: A combination of what you would most likely see in the movies "A Cinderella Story" and "Another Cinderella Story"-which is why it's under the Cinderella movie...also similar to Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" music video
1. Chapter 1

A/N- I'm not quite sure where this is going yet, but I will let you guys know when I get there, but for now, please review and I am open to suggestions!!!

*The song in this story is "In Another Life" by the Veronicas*

* * *

**Chapter One**

My name is Ellie, and _this_ is my Cinderella Story…

_I have known you my whole life  
When you were ten, you said you'd make me your wife  
_

It all started when I was ten years old. That's right, the age where I was loving life- I had my very best friend, Cassidy, along with a whole other group of faithful friends, at my side. I was their leader, the person they always looked to for advice. What I said went.

And it was at my tenth birthday party, to be exact, when the event that would determine my whole life occurred. Yes, the fates were probably having a field day, getting to determine the rest of my life just by one event.

I was young enough then to think an all-girl pool party was cool, and that was what I wanted. So, of course, that was what I got. It was around noontime, and the party was in full swing.

Cassidy and I were lounging in the chairs by my pool in the backyard, Cassidy in a cute blue tankini, and me, keeping to my infamous surfer chick style, with a pair of green board shorts and pink bikini top. My hair had gotten lighter over the summer, so it was now a light and fluffy blonde, prior to my dirty blonde at the beginning of June. My mom had put it in cornrows so it now only went down and inch or two below my shoulder blades, instead of all the way down to my waist.

My nine other friends were all in the pool, playing Marco-Polo and Sharks and Minnows, all shouting joyfully as someone got tagged or caught. The leftover mint ice cream was left to melt in our bowls under the hot Californian sun and I could still smell the fresh raspberries that lined my vanilla cake. My pile of unopened presents sat waiting in the cool shade of the underside of the table and a puddle of pool water was expanding precariously towards them.

I sighed, sitting up and putting my sunglasses on the top of my head. Cassidy turned her head towards me and opened her eyes.

"Aren't you having fun? This party is the bomb. You will be the talk of sixth grade at the Academy forever!" Cassidy exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know. I was just getting up to grab my tanning lotion. My mom said I better not burn," I replied, standing up to walk over to the back porch's stairs to grab the lotion. But I was secretly thinking about something else. My other best friend, the one that I have never told anyone about, not even my mom and dad.

Tanner Saboy, the boy who was four months older than me and lived four blocks down, closer to the beach. He was, ironically enough, very tan, thanks to his surfing habits, and had medium-brown curly hair that went almost to his chin. His eyes were a shocking sea blue and he had quite the set of abs for a ten year old.

I met him when I was six, when I went down to the beach with my dad to surf for only the second time in my whole life. I had taken lessons a year ago, and on the very last day of the lesson, I went into the water to actually surf, so this was the first time since then I've been in the water to surf.

He was there by himself, later saying that his mom had died of cancer when he was three and that his dad was suffering from a hangover (my little six-year-old brain had not processed what that meant, I only understood his dad had a terrible headache), so he had no one else to come to the beach with.

My dad had gone down the beach to where the bigger waves were and told me to shout for him if I needed him. I told him I would be fine, and went into the water, my tiny pink surfboard dragging behind me.

The first time I was actually able to get on the board was a total disaster. I wiped out so bad, I was spitting sand out of my mouth when I swam back to shore. I couldn't stand up, my head hurt so much from inhaling salt water, so I just sat there, until a tiny tan hand reached in front of me to pull me up.

"That was quite a wipeout," he had said, grinning broadly as he pulled me to my feet. "That looked like it hurt."

"Yeah," I mumbled, so embarrassed to have been helped by this stranger.

"Hey, try putting your feet on the board like this," he said, demonstrating on the sand what I was to do. "You will keep your balance better."

He waited patiently until I came back from the water from my first successful time surfing. We had talked, laughed, and surfed together for two more hours, until the sun was high in the sky. He told me he had to go home, pointing out to me where his house was.

"Hey, my house is just a few blocks away from yours," I had told him excitedly. He just nodded and ran up the beach to his house, me waving the whole way.

When my dad came to find me later, I was still in the water. He asked me how my day had gone, and I told him everything-except about Tanner. He would yell at me for talking to a stranger.

From then on, Tanner and I would meet at the beach and surf together when my dad took me with him. Occasionally, Tanner's dad would come with Tanner, watching us surf together. But my dad never knew I had a friend to surf with.

When I reached my eighth birthday, my parents trusted me enough to go down and surf by myself, as long as there were other people on the beach to watch me.

Tanner and I would surf together, still without anyone knowing. Then we started doing other things together, like going for ice cream or sitting in the park near our houses, playing with other kids our age.

You would think my parents would catch on about tanner. But I was always careful to say I was going to eat ice cream with Cassidy, or going out to surf with my older neighbor Laurie.

Why would I do that? I have no idea, but it was always that way. Tanner's dad knew about me, but my parents did not know about him.

Anyways, when I bent over to grab the bottle of lotion, I felt someone's eyes on me. I quickly spun around to the pool, but all my friend's eyes, as well as my mom and dads, were on my friend Lacy, who was showing off her ability to do a flip off the diving board.

I peeked around the corner of the house and I saw a pair of bright blue eyes peeping around the side of the house, along with a mop of curly brown hair. As soon as Tanner saw me looking, his head disappeared.

I pretended like I was interested in the mailman who had just stopped to deliver our mail, and I went around to the front of the house, my braids bouncing on my back.

"What are you doing here?" I asked Tanner, who was sitting casually on our front steps, like he had not just been peeking at my party. He, just like me, was barefoot and dressed in board shorts, but he had no shirt on.

"I was going to ask you to come surfing, but I remembered you had your party today. Which, by the way, I was not invited to."

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling really bad, "but nobody knows about you, not even my parents or my best girl friend, Cassidy. And nobody will know about you. Because then I would have to tell them about talking to a stranger on the beach when I was only six, surfing with you every day after that, or lying to them repeatedly, or-"

"I get the point, Ellie," Tanner said. "I'm just trying to make you feel bad. I'm only kidding. I wanted to give you this." He handed me a gift bag.

"Tanner, you didn't have to get me anything," I said, taking the light bag.

"I know. But I wanted to," he said simply, turning to run off down the street to his own house. I shrugged.

"Tanner!" I called, when he was already two houses away. He turned, but did not slow down.

"Thanks, " I mouthed, not wanting anyone at the party to overhear me. He just nodded, and turned back around.

I went back to my party, acting like I had never even left.

"Present time!" my mom shouted joyfully. Everyone pulled themselves out of the pool and gathered around me as soon as I sat down on the porch steps.

I had thankfully hidden the present in my room where no one could find it and start questioning me, so I only had ten gifts to open.

After I had finished opening gifts, the guests went home, each saying how wonderful my party was and wishing me a happy birthday.

I went into my room to change my clothes, staring at my skin that had darkened marginally, even though I was already really tan from surfing every other day this summer.

But, after trying to pull on a pair of jean shorts over my legs that were still soaked from the pool, I gave up and just took a shower instead.

By the time I had gotten out of the shower and gotten dressed in my pj's, it was dinnertime, and before I knew it, time for bed.

I was just lying in bed, staring out the window at the star-laden sky when I remembered Tanner's gift.

I flipped over on my stomach, reached under my bed, and retrieved the gift from where I had stashed it earlier.

I eagerly tore off the tissue paper to find a braided hemp necklace with blue beads entwined in it. I could immediately tell Tanner had made this himself, he was really talented with hemp and could make a mean shark tooth necklace. I loved it.  
I pulled out the card next.  
It was simple:

**Happy Birthday, Ellie, I hope you like the necklace.**

**Remember to wear it on our wedding day :)**

**-Tanner**

I remembered those words, when we were littler, we had always joked about getting married, but I never really thought he would be serious! I carefully put the necklace on and just carelessly tossed the card under my bed, along with the empty gift bag.

That night I vowed to ask him what that card meant, but I never did.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_Eight years later you won me over  
Just as I took the world on my shoulders_

Let's skip forward to the summer after my junior year, or the summer before I was a senior at the local high school when my life fell apart.

It started out a perfectly normal day, July 2nd, a Saturday to be exact. I was down on the beach, celebrating my eighteenth birthday (June 30th) with Tanner on the beach.

My mom had given me a surprise party on the day of my birthday, almost the whole school showed up to have a beach blowout to celebrate. The best part? My parents had finally given in to my pleads and gotten me a fancy, shiny, aqua, Mustang Convertible. The worst part? I still hadn't told anyone about Tanner, so of course he wasn't invited.

But when I drove past his house in my new car on the way home from the beach party, I saw his bedroom light on, which surprised me, he was usually in bed by eleven and it was close to one in the morning. But his light was on, and I saw him sitting on his windowsill, the window open, and his tan, muscular legs dangling down the side of the house. He was staring half at the starry sky and half at the bonfire with my parents still beside it on the beach, with a look of longing in his eyes. I instantly felt terrible and I was glad for the moment that everyone declined a ride home in my car, saying I needed time to get used to the car (rather, they knew I wasn't the best of drivers), because me eyes started to tear up. I sped up after that, knowing he hadn't seen me drive past.

Anyways, Tanner had come over on Saturday, declaring that day was all surfing all the time. I was glad my parents were down in the basement so they could not see him- I had kept it a secret for this long, so I could continue keeping him a secret for a bit longer-so it was easy to lie that it was Bryant, my current boyfriend, at the door, wanting me to go down to the beach.

Tanner had taken this with good grace and just rolled his eyes, but I would know later that this hurt him.

He let me drive him in my new car down to the beach, surfboards in the backseat, Tanner, me, and the Black Eyed Peas song "Imma Be" in the front.

I could barely contain my excitement as I slammed the car door shut and grabbed my new birthday lime green coconut surfboard out of the back and raced to the water in my usual metallic pink Roxy Rashgaurd shirt and brown board shorts, my two long, blonde, braids bouncing on my back.

"Hey, Ell, wait up!" Tanner shouted. His board had fallen in the sand and he struggled to pick it up and race me at the same time.

"Not a chance!" I yelled, hitting the water and paddling out towards sea before he even had his board in hand.

"No fair," he complained as I met him on the beach after my almost wipeout. His shaggy brown hair was still curlier than ever, and thirteen years of surfing had left him permanently tan and uber-muscular. All in all, the same breathtakingly gorgeous he was eight years ago.

"Oh that was totally fair," I said, plopping down on my board next to him. " You just weren't fast enough to catch me!" I yelled, taking off down the beach.

Only a minute later, he caught up to me, his hands yanking me up by my waist so I was totally under his control. He spun me around, an easy feat considering my small 5 and a half-foot frame.

"Not fast enough, huh?" he said, breathlessly putting me down. His blue eyes twinkled as he pretend-glared at me.

For the first time ever, my heart fluttered when he looked at me like that. I had never felt anything when I was around him except a feeling of safety and friendship. But now, I wasn't so sure.

"What?" he asked me self-consciously when I continued staring at him. I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

"Nothing," I said, turning away to run back and grab my board.

"You were checking me out!" Tanner accused, grinning satisfactorily.

"Psh, was not!" I said, blushing as I turned and ran back to my board.

"Was too!" he called after me as I swam into the ocean, trying to get rid of my lingering blush.

I waited until he was standing on his board and riding a wave next to me until I got my revenge. I aimed the surfboard right next to his, reached over…almost there…almost… got it! I reached my hand out and shoved him off his board. A legendary wipeout to even the best of surfers.

I cackled as I continued to ride the wave all the way to shore, cackling evilly the whole way.

"Hey," he spluttered, coughing up water as he dragged him and his board to where I was waiting. "Not cool, Ell. Not cool at all."

"Really? The water looked pretty chilly to me. But I wouldn't know. I wasn't the one that met it with my face," I grinned, tossing my cornrows behind my shoulder and prancing back to the water, showing him with my body language and actions that I was, and always will be, the queen bee, no matter at school or in the water.

Now don't think me vain, I really wasn't. But I had been in charge of things my whole life, and I wasn't about to change.

"Seriously, Ellie. You don't need to get mad, I was just tugging your braids," he said, easily catching up to me and pulling one of my braids to emphasize his point.

"Whatever, Tanner," I said, dismissing it with a wave of my hand.

"No. Not whatever. We need to talk," he said, running his hand through his dripping curls, something he did when he was nervous. It was something he had gotten from me; I had a tendency to gather my hair on the side of my head and run my fingers through it when I was uncomfortable. It was something I was doing right now. And I had to stop. He knew it was my nervous habit, and didn't want him to know I was nervous and highly uncomfortable.

"No, I really don't think there's anything to talk about. Now I'm going surfing. Feel free to _not_ join me." I spun around, making sure my braids slap him in the face on my way to the water.

But unfortunately, I didn't make it to the water. I didn't even make it two steps. Tanner grabbed my wrist, sending my heart into a frenzy. But I tried to keep the blush off my face as I turned around to smack his arm off of me. But his lips were right there, waiting.

I think he even surprised _himself_ at what he did next, let alone me. He pulled me into a nice, warm kiss and as it went deeper, he gently pulled my fingers from my surfboard, letting it drop. Right onto my bare foot of course, but I didn't register then pain at the time.

On the plus side, though, my hands were free to touch his silky, still wet hair.

It felt like hours later that Tanner broke the kiss, but in reality it was only a few minutes.

"Wow," he breathed, staring deep into my green eyes.

"Yep," I said, slowly, reaching down to pick up my board from where I had let it drop.

I then calmly walked into the water, as I f the kiss had never even happened, but truly, I was floating on air.

Tanner was walking into the water besides me, but I barely even noticed. He didn't try to talk and I didn't try to make him.

An hour later, it was nearing four o'clock. I was starving; the tuna sandwich I brought for lunch just wasn't enough, so I decided to drive back home and grab dinner before coming back to the beach to practice for the upcoming Surfer Tournament that was being hosted in San Fran a week from today- Tanner and I both entered.

"I'm gonna go grab dinner," I said to Tanner. "Do you need a ride?"

"Um, sure. But let's just sit and talk for second. Just a second, I swear," he said, seeing the look on my face. He took two towels out of his gym bag laying on the sand and he spread them out. "C'mon, sit with me for a sec," he said, gesturing to the towels where he happily sat down, his suntanned lotion body reflecting the low sun's rays.

"Fine," I huffed. "But I really am hungry." I made a point to not sit too close to him. But this did not phase him; he just scooted closer and spread out his legs on the sand in front of him.

"Listen. I know you may not wanna hear this, but I have to say it. I like you, Ellie. Really like you." He smiled weakly, running his hands through his hair. "I even liked you when I first met you, I knew you were gonna be special. And I know you didn't even know this, but a few days ago, I was sitting on my window, watching your-"

"My party, I know," I said, interrupting him, and burying my humiliated face in my knees that I was hugging to me.

He looked startled, then suspicious.

"I saw you," I explained. "I was driving home from my party in my new car, my parents and some of my cousins were still on the beach with the bonfire, and I saw you in your window. You don't know how sorry I am and how much I regret not inviting you. I should have, and that was wrong of me not to. You deserve better," I said meekly. Wow. So much for not acting nervous and queen bee-ish.

"Actually," he said, sounding quite amused, "that was not what I was going to say, but thanks anyway. I was going to say that I realized then how much I liked you. As more than a friend," he added, leaning in and kissing me softly.

I gave in, kissing him back, and for a while I just sat, curled up next to him, his arm around my waist as we watched other families on the beach.

I interrupted the silence. "I like you too, you know. But not forever. You've been a best friend forever. Not until today did I think of you as more than a friend. But I hope that if this doesn't work out, we can still be best friends. And you know what? As soon as I get home I am going to tell my parents about you," I declared, standing up and grabbing my board. "Now let's get you home. I need to eat."

But little did I know that would never happen.

I walked into the house after dropping Tanner off at his house, joyous after our good-bye kiss.

"Mom, I have something to-" I stopped mid-stride to the kitchen. My mom was kneeling on the floor of our living room, a bunch of used tissues in one hand and a photo in the other. And she was bawling, sniffling, and blowing her nose. "What happened?" I stated flatly.  
I gently eased her up off the floor and onto the couch, taking the photo from her hand. I glanced at it. It was a photo of my parents right before their wedding ceremony. I figured she was just going through old photos and being really emotional. But this crying did not sound happy. It sounded morbid and depressing. Oh, no.

"Mom? Where's Dad?" I asked, getting paranoid. "Where's. Dad?" I asked again, freaking out, starting to shake my mom by her shoulders.

The phone rang, startling me. I raced up and grabbed it.

"Hello?" I asked, trying hard not to cry like my mom, even though I was eighty percent sure what had happened.

"Melissa? Is that you?" It was my aunt, my mom's sister, Samantha.

"Yeah," I said, taking a slow, deep breath.

"How's your mother doing? I can't imagine she is taking it very well. But can you tell her I will be down tomorrow morning?"

"Aunt Sam? What are you talking about?"

"She didn't tell you? I don't know if I should, but Ellie, honey,…your father is dead."

It was worse than I thought. I had only imagined he had taken a break and left. But not forever. I started to hyperventilate.

"Hello? Ellie? Ellie? Are you okay? Melissa? Are you there? Hello?" My aunt kept repeating those words into the phone until she eventually gave up and hung up the phone. I let the phone slide from my stiff grip and crash onto the floor.

I slid down the wall and crouched down, hugging my knees to my face and I wept.

Why did he leave me? What did I do wrong? How could this happen?

*****

I vaguely remember everything from that point on.

I vaguely remember my mom coming down the stairs in her bathrobe the next morning, eyes red and rimmed with unshed tears. I vaguely remember her pulling up her disheveled hair and, in the process, seeing me lying on the floor underneath the phone, my surfing outfit still damp and salty tears, both wet and dry, on my arm, along with fresh tears still pouring out of my eyes.

"Oh honey," she had cried, coming over to me and sitting down next to me, pulling me close and hugging me tightly, crying as hard as I was. "I'm so, so sorry."

I vaguely remember the doorbell ringing around ten, and my mom pulling herself away from me and opening the door to reveal my Aunt Sam standing there with all her bags.

"Oh, Tammy," (my mom), "Ellie, I am so sorry, but we need to fix this. No use crying anymore. What's done is done. I am here for the next two weeks and I am going to take care of y'all up until the very last second I am here. And I'm starting now." She carried her bags upstairs into the guest bedroom, and promptly put a kettle of water on the stove to make tea.

She helped my mom and me up from the floor, where we had been since my mom opened the door, and shoved us towards the showers.

When my mom and I came downstairs, we were both dressed, my mom in a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, and me in a pair of droopy boy shorts and tank top, but dressed all the same. My aunt looked at us happily and handed us each a cup of steaming chamomile tea. No matter how much Aunt Sam pleaded, my mom wanted to just go sit in her room and read the Bible. She wasn't religious, but she insisted on reading it all the same. So my aunt just let it go.

I wanted to sit in my room and sulk. My aunt didn't press the issue.

This continued until Monday, two days after the accident. My aunt finally put her foot down and pulled my mom to a private yoga session.

The doorbell rang several times, all people with food and their condolences. I didn't want to talk to anybody, so I just let the door stay closed and people left the food on the doorstep.

She came home without my mom, so she must have been successful in getting her to stay there. I was a different story. I was not going anywhere, I just sat on my bed, my iPod turned up as loud as it would go. My aunt knocked on my open door, and she leaned against the doorframe, her mouth open as if she was going to say something. But a knock on the front door interrupted her and she went to go answer it.

I crept to the top of the stairs, careful not to go all the way around the corner and into the sight of whomever was at the door, but my eyes went around the corner just enough for me to see who it was.

Tanner. He was standing there in his board shorts, his curly hair drooping in his eyes in a very cute way. But I was over him. After my dad died, nothing was important to me anymore. Not Tanner, not surfing, not anything.

"Um, hi," he said, shifting his feet awkwardly. "Is Ellie here?" I saw my aunt glance briefly up the stairs and she met my eyes for just a second.

"I'm sorry, um…"

"Tanner."

"Tanner, Ellie is unavailable."

"When will she be available?" he asked curiously, and his eyes flickered up the stairs, and I knew in that moment that he had seen me.

"Not until she's ready," my aunt replied.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "If it was about Saturday, I completely understand."

Oh Tanner, if only you knew what it was really about. But leave it to my Aunt Sam to take care of that. She apparently figured my business was his business.

"Tanner, Ellie's father died Saturday night. She does not wish to see anyone right now. I'm sorry, but I think it will be a very long time before she is ready to see you," my aunt said. Wow, go Aunt Sam!

"Oh. I see. Well, tell Ellie I am very sorry and I know how she feels. Also pass on to her to call me when she feels up to it so we can talk. I want to help her."

"You and every one else, son. It was nice meeting you, Tanner," she said, starting to close the door.

"It was nice meeting you, to…"

"I'm her Aunt Samantha. Call me Sam."

"All right, it was nice meeting you, Sam."

"Goodbye, Tanner." She shut the door and turned to face me." I leaned all the way around the corner.

"All right, young lady. We need to talk." Oh, man. I was dead. So not funny.

"So who was he?" my aunt asked, sitting down across from me on my bed.

"A friend," I said mildly, putting my earphones back in, trying to let my aunt know I was not talking about this, especially after my dad just died.

She pulled the earphones out of my ears. "A friend no one knew about except you. And by the looks of it, not really considered a friend," she noted, looking me straight in the eyes so I couldn't lie.

And that's when I told her. I told my aunt everything that I had never told a single person. All about Tanner, when we first met, everyday I lied for him after that, how we kissed two days ago, and how I used to feel about him, and how I felt now.

After I finished, tears were in my eyes, but they did not fall. My aunt was sitting there, as still and silent as a statue.

"Ellie. You need to call that boy back. He loves you very much. And you do to, even if you think you don't," she finally said.

"How do you know?"

"I saw the way your face became animated for the first time since your dad died when you talked about him. And I saw the way his face was, when I opened the door, he was probably expecting you. And I saw the way his face fell when I told him you were unavailable because of your father. Call him," she finished sternly, getting up and giving me one last look before going to get my mom from yoga class.

But I never called him. Sure, he called me, about an hour after he came to my house, but I didn't pick up my cell phone, so he left a message.

_Ell, it's Tanner. I know why you're not picking up. I know you're there, because I saw you looking at me when I came over. I am really, really sorry that your dad died, and I know how you feel, so please, call me. No hurry though. Bye._

He called again the next day, and the next. But I never answered.

The day of the surfing contest passed without me competing, as well as no word from Tanner. But the day after that, he called again, leaving yet another message that I listened to, over and over again, when I woke up in the mornings, and before I went to bed at night.

_Ellie, please pick up. I get that you're upset. But call me and talk to me. We can be upset together, if you just talk to me. Please. I'm begging you. Call me._

But, like the other times he called, I never returned the message.

Before I knew it, I had moped away the days until Thursday, the day of my father's funeral.

I had dressed for the occasion, letting my cornrows down and not putting my hair up for the first time in four years, so that my now permanent light blonde and sun-streaked hair fell in miniature waves down below my waist. I also ditched the surfer-chick look for the first time since I was seven (including the rare occasions my dad would take me to church, where I would show up in a beachy sundress with my cornrows and flip flops), and wore a black miniskirt and lacy black tank top with black boots.

My aunt was in a simple, sleeveless black dress, and my mom was in black work pants and a black, form fitting, short sleeved shirt.

I was driving them in my car to the church where the funeral would take place, and I almost had to pull over when I saw the church, all the people wearing black for my father outside, and the hearse, waiting to take my father's coffin to the cemetery down the street, because I had started to cry. Thank goodness my aunt told me not to wear makeup.

The service was very touching, both me, my mom, and unbelievably my strong aunt, were in tears the whole time. Afterwards, my mom and I went up to the coffin to say our goodbyes.

My mom let me go up first. I bravely stared at the open coffin.

My dad was dressed in a nice suit, one of his favorites. His hair was just the way I remembered-blonde and slightly wavy. His beautiful eyes-my eyes- were invisible under his closed eyes. His face was stony and would never again look kind. I was crying silently, but strongly as I look one of his icy hands from side and clasped it in mine.

"Goodbye, Dad. I know you never knew this, but all those times I said I was going out with friends, I was meeting someone. My best friend besides Cassidy. My Tanner. I'm so sorry I never told you. I was going to tell you that night, I swear. But you were gone. Almost as if you didn't want to hear it. Anyway, I feel better telling you this. I cannot wait to see you again. Goodbye, Dad. I love you." I kissed the icy hand and placed it back near his side, barely noticing it was wet with my tears.

I embraced my mom, who was waiting a few feet behind me as I left to go sit back in a pew with Aunt Sam, very aware of all the people in the church staring silently at my mom and me. But one pair of eyes stood out above all the others.

Tanner. He had come to my dad's funeral. Even though he never knew him. This thought brought a fresh wave of tears, which Aunt Sam tenderly wiped away with a tissue.

After my mom had said her goodbyes, which took a lot longer than mine, she carefully closed the coffin lid, and slowly other people who knew my dad went to go pay their respects.

When that was done, my mom and Aunt Sam were accepting well-wishes and condolences from people in the front of the church, but I was sitting by myself on the church stairs, giving off an aura to make people not come near me. But there was one person who ignored my obnoxious aura and came right up to me and sat down next to me.

"Ellie. You've been avoiding me," Tanner said. He lifted up my chin so my eyes met his. I shoved away, looking back down at the ground, tears now falling down my cheeks. Again.  
"Have not."

"Yes, you have."

"Tanner, listen. We're over. Not just as whatever went on between us last week, but as friends too. I just can't deal with this anymore, okay? I have tried, I really have. But I hope when you move schools and you and I are in the same school this year, we can still talk. Just not as much as we used to. I promise you I will get my act together by the time school starts.

I'm sorry, I need to get over my dad first before I start thinking about relationships with you or anyone else. And that might never happen. I'm sorry," I said again, walking to my convertible where my aunt and mom were waiting for me so I could follow the hearse to the cemetery.

_I got used to living without you  
Endless phone calls and dreaming about you  
Always said that you were my man to be  
But I guess I was in love with your memory_

_You know I love you, I really do  
But I can't fight anymore for you  
And I don't know, maybe we'll be together again  
Sometime, in another life  
In another life_

_I know I said that I would keep my word  
I wished that I could save you from the hurt  
But things will never go back to how we were  
I'm sorry I can't be your world_

Tanner still called for a few days after that, but eventually he gave up. And I stopped caring.

August came and went without anything major happening. Aunt Sam left the first week of August, after making sure my mom and I pulled ourselves together.

My mom was now taking daily private yoga classes to help her get over my dad, and as for me, I had my own way of coping- which was just sitting on my front porch with my iPod in my ears, watching people running down the street to the beach and hearing, just faintly, even through my music, the sound of the waves and the seagulls.

Everything was okay, at least for the moment.

Then came the day before junior year started.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

I woke up to the sun beating on my face. Ugh. I rolled over and threw the pillow over my face, hoping to block the sun. No such luck. The pillow got thrown from my face.

I sat up to find my mother holding the pillow and the string of the blinds.

"Time to get up!" she said, tossing the pillow on the floor.

"Why?" I groaned, hiding back under the covers. "School is not for another week!"

My mom laughed at me. "No, hon, school starts tomorrow." What!? "You need to practice getting up at seven again."

"It is impossible. School cannot be tomorrow. I have no supplies, or even my schedule."

My mom pulled the covers away from my face. "Your schedule came last week. I let you know and put it on your desk over there." Sure enough, my junior class schedule was printed on a bright pink piece of paper staring at me from the top of my almost empty desk. "And I told you we would go shopping today. Right after my yoga class." She walked out the door of my room with a "Get up now!" over her shoulder as she left for her daily yoga.

Oh man, I was so not ready for the first day of school. I had not called any one of my friends, even Cassidy since my dad died. I had no idea what my friend's schedules were, what lunches we had together, or anything like that. I didn't even tell them my dad had died, but they probably knew from the papers.

Whatever. I knew I was so not getting any more sleep, so I dragged my self out of bed, put on a pair of khaki capris and a lime green tank top, straightened my wavy hair and paraded down the stairs in search of the perfect cereal.

Unfortunately, I had to settle for Honey Nut Cheerios.

My mom came home from yoga happy, but sweaty, so she went to take a shower while I went in search of the list of supplies I needed. I found it under my bed, along with an old plate of cheese and crackers an old charm anklet. My eyes teared up from the fowl scent of the cheese and the anklet. I promptly threw away the food and put the charm anklet on my ankle.

The anklet was now priceless. My dad had given it to me for my sixteenth birthday and I had hated it, because it was gold and had charms of princess crowns, the saying _When you are a true surfer, you live the meaning of life,_ a puppy, and a surfboard. Overall, I thought it was too girly, but now I would protect it with my life.

My mom called me from downstairs and I grabbed a pair of flip-flops from my closet and the supply list.

At the store, it was fairly crowded. All the older high school students doing their last minute shopping.

My mom got all that I needed except from my backpack. I left my mom looking at a display and wandered in search of the backpacks.

But I stopped mid-step when I heard two all too-familiar voices.

"So you're going to go to our school this year? That is so amazing. I can show you all the best places," said a chipper voice.

"Oh, yeah, that would be so cool," the other voice said. "I can't wait. Since my best friend and I no longer hang out, I would love to have someone to show me around."

"Ooh, I feel your pain. My best friend ditched me too," the girly voice replied.

I turned the corner into the isle that I wanted, and fate decided that it would be the same isle as those two voices, that I really did not want to run into, were in.

"Ellie!" Cassidy squealed running towards me. I hastily avoided Tanner's eyes as I hugged my best girl friend. "Oh, I'm so sorry about your dad. I totally understand. It sucks. And I just want you to know that I am here for you whenever you need it," she finished, hugging me tightly. I groaned silently. Here was another person that thought that they knew what I was going through and wanted to help me when I _so_ did not need it.

"Hey, Cassidy!" I said back cheerfully. A little too cheerfully, but my friend was not clued in enough to pick up on it. She was too busy basking in the sunny waves of Tanner. "I'm doing fine, but thanks for the offer. Sorry I haven't called you, but I have been really busy and distracted. This is basically the first day since my dad died that I have been out and about. I gave up surfing when he died, so I haven't even been out to the beach." I was interrupted with two gasps, one from Tanner, and one from Cassidy. I glared at Tanner. "Hi Tanner," I said sourly turning back to Cassidy.

"No! Oh my god, you can't give up surfing! It's your whole life! You would always rather surf than hang out with me. You can't just give it up now! It would put all those times you declined sleepovers and mall outings to ride the perfect wave to waste! Don't throw it all away!" she protested, taking my hand and pulling me from the isle and into the store's outdoor patio display. I flicked Tanner off as I walked away with Cassidy. He snorted. I ignored him.

Cassidy sat me down on a patio bench display and finished talking. "Seriously, Ell. Do not ruin this. You are an amazing surfer. And I don't dish out compliments easily." That was true. She never gave people compliments that did not deserve them. I gave my friend a grim smile.

"Sorry, Cass, but I'm just not feeling it anymore. The joy that I got riding a wave, the adrenaline I experienced as I wiped out, it's all gone. And I don't think it will ever come back." Cassidy looked sincerely sorry, but nodded her head and just patted my shoulder comfortingly.

"I really am sorry, Ellie. About your father, I mean. And I really do know how you feel. I'm not just one of those people that came up to you and say it to make you feel better. I lost my aunt, the only one I had, when I was fifteen. She and I were so close; she was like a second mom to me. And she committed suicide when she turned thirty-two. In her suicide note, she said I was the only thing keeping her alive since she and I became close, when I was ten. But, she had finally had enough, and she was truly sorry about the pain she was sure to cause me by dying willingly. She felt so guilty, she said, that she left me everything she had. All of it, down to her puppy," Cassidy said, tears in her eyes.

"Oh, so that's where you got Waffles from. I always wondered why one day I came to your house and found a little Husky puppy sleeping on your bed," I said grinning. "But I'm sorry. I honestly did think you were just saying that, like every other person known to man," I told her guiltily.

Cassidy smiled back and held out her hand. "Come on, I've got someone I'd like you to meet," she told me, pulling back towards the backpack isle. I pulled back the other way. Oh, no you don't. Do not make me face him again.

"That's okay Cassidy. I know Tanner already. We used to surf together all the time," I said, trying to pull her hand away.

Realization spread across my best friend's face. Best friends are obviously telepathic, since she knew what I was thinking, and I knew what she was about to say.

"You're the best friend he was talking about, Ellie," she said, a little imaginary light bulb above her head going on and off, ironically enough, since we were passing the lamp display and the bulbs flickered on and off.

I sighed again. "Yeah, that was me. But it got to the point where we were considered more than friends," I confided. She gasped. "Yep," I said, answering her unasked question.

"Then I have someone else I want you to meet," she said. "I think you might like him. A lot. I know I do," she said, pulling me in the direction of the baby section.

She turned into the baby clothing isle. I saw her mom standing in front of a display. And in her mom's hands sat a little baby boy, no older than four months. He was so cute.

"Hello, Ellie. Long time no see," Cassidy's mom told me, reaching to gently pull me into a hug without crushing the baby. "But it's understandable. I am really sorry for your loss, as well."

"Thanks, Mrs. Jennings." I said, tearing up. I had always loved Cassidy's mom. She was always so sweet to me.

"Ell, I'd like you to meet Eli. We adopted him a few weeks ago. He is almost four months. I wanted it to be a surprise," Cassidy told me, her eyes shining with pure joy.

I held out my arms and Mrs. Jennings handed Eli over to me. I tickled him under his chin and he showed a tooth-less smile. "Aw, who's the cute baby?" I cooed. "He is absolutely adorable," I said to Cassidy. "But I have to go. I promised my mom I would pick out a backpack and go straight back to her. Meet me in the usual spot tomorrow?" I asked, handing the baby back to Mrs. Jennings. Cassidy agreed, sending me off with a hug.

On the way back to my mom, I grabbed the first backpack I saw- a cute, green, not too girly, over-the-shoulder shoulder messenger bag that was on sale and went to go search for my cart. I briefly saw Tanner with his dad in the sporting good isle, but I strategically ignored him, even though he tried unsuccessfully to catch my eye.

When I got home, all I wanted to do was climb under a blanket and sprawl in front of the TV for a movie. But my mom had other plans.

"Come on honey, we have to go shopping and get ready for tomorrow! It's gonna be such a big day, your junior year. Now go put all your supplies in your bag and put it by the stairs. And then meet me down here, we are going to the mall!" she cried, rushing in her room to put on make-up. I groaned. As a surfer chick goes, I hated the mall. Unless I went into one of the stores that sold Roxy items. And then I had a field day (also known as emptying my mother's wallet).

Ten minutes later, I was driving me and my mom to the mall and trying to blow the hair out of my face. I had forgotten to tie it back before I put down the top on my car and now I was paying the price. But my mom had never ridden in it when the top was down, and she had thankfully put her hair up and was laughing as I drove, trying to see where I was going.

My mom dragged me into the first shop we saw and helped me pick out a cute tank top. It wasn't a depressing black or dark red that I wore these days, but a bright yellow. In the next store, she made me try on a dark denim mini-skirt and some shoes. But I only got the skirt, so my mom had to drag me into the shoe store at the other end of the mall.

I was tired of the mall and all the giggling girls and skateboarding guys by that time so I picked up the first pair of shoes I saw- the same time that someone else did. I didn't look up as I said, "I'm so sorry, here you can have them" and I regretted it when I did. It was Stella, another one of my close friends. Not as close as Cassidy and I, but pretty close. And I had not talked to her, nor has she talked to me since my birthday on the beach. She looked up at me.

"Ellie," she said, kind of snappishly, like she would rather be diving off the Empire State Building than talking to me.

"Here," I stammered, put off at being spoken to like that by here. I handed her the shoes and took off to the other side of the store, my mother right behind me.

When I stopped to look at sandals, my mom pulled me into a tight hug.

"Honey, I'm sorry. They just don't know how to act around you. It will stop soon, I promise," she told me in my ear. I shook my head.

"Mom, it's not like that. She didn't even want to talk to me. And it doesn't matter. I have Cassidy and you. And that's all I need," I said.

"Good for you, Ellie," she said proudly.

"How about these shoes, Mom?" I asked. They were Espadrilles. Yellow high heeled Espadrilles. They went perfectly with my outfit, so my mom went and practically ran to buy them while I took the long way out of the store to avoid Stella and her boyfriend, who was waiting on her hand and foot while she tried on shoes.

My mom then took me to the grocery store to buy things for my traditional night-before-school-aka-start-of-prison dinner.

By the time we sat down to eat, it was closing in on seven thirty, so I scarfed down my sloppy joes and pasta salad like I had come out of the wilderness after a week with no food. My mom just stared at me sympathetically. I realized she was recalling the shoe store moment with Stella over and over again in her head. I did not want her pity, so I excused myself early, saying I needed my sleep.

When I woke up to my alarm at seven, I wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. But with any day of school, I knew that was impossible, so I got up and smacked my alarm to make it stop blaring pop music.

It was a new record. I was downstairs eating a bowl of Lucky Charms and a banana by seven-thirty. My new outfit was on and I my hair was in two braided pigtails that flopped cutely down my front. With no make-up, my sun-bleached-pure-blonde hair, heavy year-round tan, and slight muscle-toned arms, I looked like a surfer. With my preppy outfit I looked like a chick. Put 'em together and you got a surfer chick. Perfect.

My mom rushed in the kitchen in a business suit, her purse almost whacking my head as she ran to the refrigerator to grab a protein shake on her way out the door. She leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"Good luck, honey! I know you will have a great day, but this is my first day back at the office and I need to hurry! If you want to eat early, dinner is already in the fridge, but I should be home by six and you need to tell me all about your day and how great it was. I love you," she called behind her as she ran out the door and got in her small car.

I was all by myself for ten more minutes before I needed to get in my car and head off to school to meet Cassidy.

So, naturally, I watched TV. I loved Full House on a Monday morning. But all too soon, it was time to leave. For a split second, I considered ditching and not going to school. Mom wouldn't know until she got me report card for first semester, when it had the total of unexcused absences. But I shook it off. My dad may not be here to hug me and see me off like every other first day of school, but I could handle the first day of junior high by myself.

But things started going wrong as soon as I stepped outside my car in my pre-assigned spot.

I almost got run over by a senior in his motorcycle, driving wildly. I had to jump out of the way, hitting my kneecap on my car door to avoid getting my toes smashed by the motorcycle that would have run over them if I had not moved. My eyes got blurry with unshed tears of pain that each step now brought as I limped over to the park bench under the big oak tree on the front of campus.

Cassidy was waiting for me solemnly, in a cute pink sundress and flip-flops. "What happened to you?" she asked as I plopped down beside her.

"Brad. Motorcycle. Bad driving. Knee on door handle. Very painful," I said shortly, rubbing the new bruise on my leg.

"Aw," she said, trying not to laugh at me. She did not succeed. "I'm sorry," she said. "But this stuff happens to you a lot." Touché.

"Where is everybody?" I asked. "Isn't eight our usual spot? It has been for ten years! So where are they?" I asked Cassidy. Her face turned grim.

"That's what I was going to talk to you about," she said, lowering her voice, and reaching out for my hand and giving it a squeeze. "Stella and Britt texted me last night. They aren't going to meet us. Nobody else is either," she said. I was confused.

"Why not?" I asked. She nodded towards two convertibles- one silver and one metallic blue, both with tops down. They each held four people. One driver was the notorious Stella. The other was my old friend Brittany. They stepped out in unison, both in glittery outfits. Stella was equipped with an orange and sequined covered sundress and Brittany wore a white top with an intricate blue glitter flower design and a blue mini skirt that barely covered her rear end. Brittany and Stella were second cousins, so they were the only other close-knit pair in our old group of friends besides Cassidy and me. But Brittany was a bit of an airhead, which was probably why she tried to flip her silky black hair over her shoulder and ended up whipping herself in the face with it. I snorted and watched the other six girls follow behind the two cousins, who flounced into school as boys climbing out of their cars and off buses tried not to drool all over their preppy yet faux-shredded clothes. "So…" I trailed off.

"Yeah," Cassidy told me. "They said they didn't want to hang out with you anymore 'cuz you darkened their aura. Basically-"

I interrupted. "They don't want to be my friends or hang out with me," I said dryly. She nodded.

Great. I was practically friendless and my first day of school hand't even officially started.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

It continued like this for the rest of the day. Everywhere I went I heard whispers about me. I caught phrases like _poor girl, dead father, Brittany and Stella popular now,_ as I walked by cliques and groups of gossiping teens. It made me furious. I had gone from most popular and well-liked chick in high school to the school reject.

But one thing hadn't changed. My best friend was always there for me. Like now.

I had just come out of the lunch line with my tray, surveying the café for a table to sit at. But nothing popped out at me except my old lunch table. It was the biggest in the whole café and it was on a raised platform, part of the add-on to the high school that was put there a year before I came. All my ex friends sat there, laughing and giggling. Stella spotted me and poked Brittany. She too looked at me, standing there by myself and she whispered something to the whole table. A few seconds later, everyone had turned to look at me and laugh amongst themselves. Tears pooled in the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I was strong. And I would never let people ever see how weak I was. A hand was laid on my shoulder gently. I turned to see neon pink nails resting on me.

"Come on, El," Cassidy said. "We can sit outside. They put tables and picnic benches out behind the school near the football field this summer." I graciously followed her to the rear door of the café and out onto the back of campus.

From where we sat, we had a full view of the football field. I saw my old boyfriend Bryant playing catch with some of his friends while they were practicing for the game on Saturday. I saw one guy looking my way intently. So intently, in fact, that when Bryant threw the ball to him, it hit him in the side of the face. I snorted. Who could that idiot be?

Then the guy got up from where the ball had knocked him down and I sighed as I saw his face clearly. Oh. That idiot.

Tanner brushed himself off and turned away from me, paying attention to the practice one more.

Cassidy nudged me. "He still likes you," she told me, grinning.

"Yeah, I know," I told her honestly. "But I don't like him in that way any more."

"What did he do, any way?"

"Nothing," I said. "It was perfect." I told her quickly about that day on the beach and how I refused Tanner's calls once I found out my dad died.

She whistled when I was done. "Wow. That's a mess. And I'm not saying I agree to what you did. 'Cause I don't. But it's your choice. On the bright side, you're free again!" she laughed gleefully. I groaned.

"Cass. I will not be dating for a while. I'm still in a minor depression. I need time," I said, stuffing my face with my chicken wrap.

My best friend rapped her polished fingernails on the plastic coated table thoughtfully. "I guess I understand. But I still don't understand what has happened to you. When my aunt died, I never went through the same things as you did." She reached across my tray to swipe a sweet potato fry.

As I swatted her hand away I said, "What are you talking about? I am not different." I realized that as soon as I said this that I was trying to persuade myself as well as Cassidy.

"Well for one thing, when my aunt died, I brought my boyfriend closer. He was my life guard when I was drowning in misery."

Have I mentioned Cassidy is going to major in poetry?

"Also," she continued, "I never gave up anything that was important to me. I kept on designing clothes and writing for the paper. It made me feel better, like nothing bad had ever happened to me. And yeah, I was miserable for a month, but then I went back to my friends and acted like it never happened. Well, not totally. I keep a picture of her in my wallet and have stuff of hers in my room. And not a day goes by without me wishing she was still here," Cassidy finished solemnly. I applauded.

"Very inspiring Cass. But that's you, not me," I said, serious once again. "And yes, I still remember Dad and keep tons of stuff and photos of his. Including this bracelet. Remember when I turned sixteen and he gave me this bracelet?" I showed her my ankle.

"I do! I was so jealous of you. But you hated it, which I can still to this day not understand." We started laughing.

The bell rang from inside. I sighed and got up to throw away my lunch tray while Cassidy waved flirtatiously to one of the lacrosse players that were running towards the football field to practice while the football players gathered their gear and headed towards us to get to the locker rooms. Oh no.

I grabbed Cassidy and started to fast walk towards the door. I heard a voice behind me. Shoot! I wasn't fast enough.

"Ellie! Ellie, wait up!" Tanner was jogging towards us, his curly brown hair slick with sweat and his old t-shirt with the sleeves cut off sticking to his muscular body after the practice.

I ignored him and went faster. Cassidy shot Tanner an apologetic look as he slowed to a walk after realizing I would not slow down to talk.

Cassidy and I had English next. Our second out of 3 classes that we had together.

"I don't get it," she hissed as she glared at a group of freshman gossiping about me and giggling. "He is a perfectly nice guy. And to be honest, I was going to go after him until you told me you guys used to have a thing."

"Cassidy, I told you, I just don't feel it anymore." That part was true. What I didn't tell her was that I knew that feeling was still inside me. Buried deep, but still there. I still felt immensely guilty every time I left him or ignored him and I yearned to see him and be his friend, maybe even more than that, again. But I also knew that that could never happen. My pride was too important.

"Well I don't buy it," Cassidy told me, holding open the door to the classroom.

I couldn't reply because the teacher had already started class and was handing out seats. Thankfully, she was ignorant enough to put Cassidy and me next to one another.

She introduced herself as Miss O' Sherry. Or, as she put it, Miss O. She was obviously Irish, with her last name and pale orange-ish red hair, just lighter than the color of a number 2 pencil.

She called on Cassidy to pass out the list of books we will be reading. I skimmed it over while I waited for Cassidy to finish passing out the paper.

I heard the door open and slam shut, but I didn't look up. I was too engrossed in the list of books, they seemed really interesting and I could not wait to read them.

Which was why when I heard The Voice, I jumped, almost out of my seat and onto the floor.

As it was, Cassidy froze and dropped all her papers on the floor.

Tanner reached down to help her pick them up.

"No, I've got it," she said, throwing me one of her famous _Oh no, what are we going to do? We are in so much trouble_ looks. I shot her back a _I have no clue, but get your butt back here so we can whisper about it_ look and went back to intently reading my list, making sure to fan my hair out around my face and hoping he would not recognize me.

"Sorry I'm late," he told Miss O. "I had to take a shower after football practice, I was so nasty."

"That is quite all right dear. This nice girl here was just passing out papers with our book list on it. Oh, and you can sit right there." She indicated a seat. But I could not see where she pointed because I was staring down at my paper. So I almost had a heart attack when Tanner bent down behind me to whisper in my ear.

"I know that's you, Ellie," he whispered.

He sat down in the seat behind mine. No, not that seat! Anywhere but there!

I furiously turned to face him. "For your information, I wasn't trying to hide from you. Some people actually find reading interesting," I shot at him.

He snorted. "You so do not like to read," he told me knowingly, glancing down at his own list.

"Well then I guess you don't know me as well as you thought you did," I told him sourly, turning back around.

I heard him sigh. "I guess I don't," he said softly. So softly that I couldn't be sure he said it at all.

Cassidy plopped into her seat. _Sorry,_ she mouthed at me. I rolled my eyes and focused on Miss O. She had her back to us and was writing down the supplies needed for her class, so I pretended I was copying the list down and scribbled a hasty note to Cassidy.

_Get ready to run as soon as the bell rings. We need to talk. I will pretend I am going 2 the bathroom. Go down the hallway and into the locker room. Meet me at the secret spot ASAP. _

Cassidy glanced at it and nodded discreetly. I erased the evidence and tried to concentrate on the lesson.

We had break after this class, so I planned to meet up with Cassidy in our secret room. It was something that I, being a loner who had no friends in any of her classes, had stumbled upon the first week of my freshman year.

_*Begin flashback*_

I was part of the girls swim team and we were in the locker room showering after a practice on a Friday. All the other girls had gone home, so I was by myself.

I had just stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around me, when I heard something. I peered around the corner in the locker room, the wall dividing the lockers and benches from the showers and saw a girl bend over and lift up a floor tile, place something under it, and start to walk away.

When she stood up, she noticed me staring around the corner. She looked surprised at first, then relieved.

"Come here," she said, motioning to me.

And the nervous, shaking freshman I was walked over to her. She held out her hand. I offered her mine and shook it.

"I'm Lacey. Lacey Malcolm," she had said.

"Ellie," was all I said.

She leaned down, picked up the floor tile and retrieved what was underneath it. She held out her hand again and dropped something in my open palm.

Upon further inspection, I found out it was a key. A hot pink key with a silver glitter edge. A black heart with a pink jewel in the center decorated the top part of the key.

"Um, thanks?" I said, looking at Lacey blankly. She really was very pretty. She had bright green eyes and shoulder-length brown hair that was piled up in a crown on the top of her head.

She smiled, revealing a mouth full of straight, blindingly white teeth.

"It's for the secret room," she told me. What?

"Here." Lacey took the key from me and removed another tile, this time from the wall. A keyhole was underneath this tile. She inserted the key in the lock and turned. I heard a click and Lacey pulled out the key. She pocketed it and inspected the wall.

After a few seconds of close concentration, Lacey reached out a pushed on a tile mid way up the wall. I heard another click and several tiles swung inward to reveal a hallway. Cool.

"This is the secret room," Lacey told me. "My mom was the designer of this school and it was nearing my fifteenth birthday, so as a gift, she included a secret room in the plans of the school. The construction workers built it thinking it was going to be a janitor's closet, and not even the principal knows it's here. Only my mom and me. And now you. I use it in between classes and breaks. Go on, it's okay," Lacey told me, motioning me in.

I stepped inside the hallway and walked to the door at the end. I pushed it, and it swung open to reveal my dream room.

It was painted a neon green. The ceiling was black with silver spirals. Bright pink and orange beanbags littered one corner, where a fuzzy neon rug and a shelf full of books sat. The other corner held a glass table and chairs, with an espresso machine, a mini fridge, a blender, and a popcorn machine.

The next corner held a sort of cot with bright multi-colored blankets strewn across it. A little nightstand was beside it, with an alarm clock and a sleep mask. But best of all, a mini flat-screen was across the room on the wall so someone could lay in the bed and watch the TV.

The last corner had a hot tub built into the ground with a rack full of towels and bubbles.

The center of the room was home to a spa chair, a desk filled with nail polish and supplies, and drawers full of mud masks, cleansers, and spa flip flops and robes.

I turned to Lacey who was watching me with waiting eyes.

"This is so cool!" I said. "But why give the key to me?"

"Well, my family is moving so I can go to a private school for senior year. I'm on the field hockey team and if I go to this school, I can get into a really good college with a field hockey scholarship. So, I can no longer use the room. I was just going to drop the key in the hallway and wait for someone to find it and hopefully stumble across the room, but then you came along. There is a spare key under floor tile to the right of the first sink in the second-floor bathroom. There is also an entrance there, but it has a set of stairs since we're on the first floor. You might need this."

She reached into her pocket and handed me a folded sheet of paper. I opened it to find this:

LR- 39, 4

**17, 12**

**2BR- 12, 5**

**17, 12**

"It's the coordinates for the floor tiles. The first set if the location of the key- the first number is how far along the floor from the door and the second number is how far from the wall. The second is how far from the door on the wall and how far from the base of the floor. The first pair is for the locker room and the second is-"

"For the second floor bathroom. I've got it," I interrupted.

Lacey nodded approvingly as she led me from the room. She took out the key and opened the wall tile. She turned the key and the door swung shut.

She gave the key back and I held onto it for dear life.

She nodded at me and turned to leave.

At the door to the locker room, she paused and turned to look at me.

"Oh, and one more thing. Tell no one."


	5. Chapter 5

(A/N- the song in this one is Let Me Go by Faith Hill…review and enjoy!)Chapter Five

_Let me, let me let go, baby, won't you  
Let me let go  
It just isn't right  
I've been two thousand miles  
Down a dead-end road_

_Oh, let me let go, darlin', won't you  
I just gotta know  
If this is for the best  
Why are you still in my heart  
Yeah, you're still in my soul, let me let go  
Let me let go, let me let go_

I met Cassidy in the room a few minutes after class. She was already waiting for me in one of the beanbags.

"Ok. We have half an hour before our next class starts and we have so much to talk about," Cassidy exclaimed as I reached into the fridge and pulled out a frozen Starbucks Cappuccino. "And yes, I refilled the fridge yesterday when my mom came in to fill out paperwork." I smiled and tossed a coffee to her.

"I cannot believe he is in one of my classes. This cannot be happening. And why does he sit behind me? I cannot take it! I am trying to get over him not fall in love with him all over again!" I sat down next to Cassidy, my lip quivering.

"Aww, honey. Don't cry, you're gonna ruin your lip gloss!" Cassidy said, reaching down to hug me gently. I smiled through my teary eyes. Leave it to Cassidy to only think about my lip gloss.

"I know, I know. But you can't complain about my mascara. I have not worn any. Ever," I said, while Cassidy laughed.

"But seriously, Ell. Don't you dare transfer. Suck it up. Be a man! I mean a woman. Whatever," Cassidy told me. I laughed, feeling much better. But then I sighed.

"Fine. No transferring. But he better not have any other classes with me, it's bad enough I have to sit through lunch knowing he's probably staring at me during his football practice and at the back of my head all through English.

So that was why I blacked out during the last class of the day- chemistry. I wobbled as I tried to move out of the doorway, I knew I was blocking people, but I could not see where I was going. Cassidy adjusted her backpack quickly and supported me.

I heard the teacher came over and asked what was wrong.

"Sorry Mr. Brown, but you know Ellie. Low blood sugar and she didn't have the best lunch," Cassidy informed him.

I gagged silently. I loved Chemistry and Mr. Brown, I had had him for freshman year and he was amazing, but there was the fact that this otherwise perfect class was ruined with Tanner, sitting in the front row, next to an empty chair.

"Stop it!" Cassidy hissed in my ear as she handed me my bottle of water. I groped blindly for it and chugged it gratefully as my sight gradually returned. I shook my head clear and walked unsteadily away from the door.

I grinned sheepishly at Mr. Brown.

"That's all right, Ellie, it happens to everyone. Now let's see where I put you…" he consulted his seating chart. And pointed to the empty seat next to Tanner. I shot Cassidy a panicked look.

"Um, Mr. Brown, don't you remember that Ellie is far-sighted? You had to move her when she was in your class because she was having trouble seeing everything." I breathed a sigh of relief as my bestie took charge.

"Oh yes, of course. I'm sorry Ellie. Why don't you sit in the very back with Cassidy here as your lab partner. I seem to remember you worked quite well together. And Stella, you can come and take Ellie's old seat." I watched in horror as the new Queen Bee Stella strutted up next to Tanner.

"Hey," she purred flirtatiously. "I don't remember seeing you around before. And trust me, I would have remembered you." I almost barfed up my wrap I had for lunch. Then I almost laughed as Tanner shot me a look that told me he knew my far-sightedness was pure BS and he turned to Stella to endure her "charm". Which, as he was a high school guy, involved sneaking a peek towards her chest area as she leaned over to readjust the stool for the lab table, ruffling her sequined (and very loose at the top) outfit.

Then, I practically skipped to the back of the room with my friend in tow. Cassidy had just sat down and dropped her book bag unceremoniously to the floor when I hugged her.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" I squealed quickly and hugged her again. Cassidy laughed and hugged me back.

"And thank _you_," she told me. "I would have been lab partners with _Stella_. Oops," she murmured, quickly letting go of me. I glanced up, only to find Mr. Brown and the rest of the class staring at me.

"Let's not find out that putting you two together was a mistake, shall we? Now, on to the wonderful world of chemistry!" Mr. Brown exclaimed as he walked to the front of the room to assign textbooks.

Cassidy and I exchanged looks behind his back.

"Was that as weird as I find it to be?" we asked each other simultaneously.

"Definitely," we both said again. We almost collapsed in a fit of giggles, but Mr. Brown's presence with textbooks stopped us.

"Pst, Ellie. Tanner's looking at you," Cassidy whispered to me as I flipped absentmindedly through the textbook, while the rest of the class was watching a movie on the origins of chemical substances. I groaned.

"Is not," I said, without looking up from my now interesting book.

"Is too," she told me, peering up discreetly then at the paper she was attempting to take notes on. I glanced up and met Tanners eyes, which, were indeed searching for mine. I formed my face into a scowl and Tanner shrugged, turning back to face the TV screen.

*****

The final bell rang at last and I was eager to get home. But Cassidy had other plans.

"Oh no you don't. You are going out. It is the first day of junior year and we will not be loners and not socialize after school. You don't want Brittany and Stella to win, do you?" she added quietly. I glared then stalked over to my car.

"Did you bring your bike?" I asked her. She snorted and gestured to her outfit. Do you really think my mom would let me ride my bike with a dress or flip-flops? And if so, I still would not want to. It would mean paying for gas." My friend put on a sour face. I laughed.

Cassidy's mom had told her that she would have to pay for her own car, so Cassidy, being a rebellious teenager at the age of fifteen, decided to get a job at the surf shack by the beach and save up for a motorcycle. She was the proud owner of a bright pink and silver Softail Harley Davidson bike. I remember the day she brought it home.

It was around her seventeenth birthday when she came home from work high-spirited and smiling. When her parents asked her why she was so happy, she told them she had finally saved up enough for a vehicle. Her parents were overjoyed she had saved up all by herself, so they told her she could get whatever she could afford. They would not be as happy when their rebellious daughter rode into their driveway an hour later on a flashy motorcycle. They had grounded her for a month, but did not take the bike away. I would later find out that her dad actually thought it was cool to have a motorcycle on display in their driveway, forgetting it was bright pink.

She hated paying for gas since she had bought it, and would probably still hate paying for it until she no longer had a vehicle.

"Fine," I told her. "Hop in, but you are picking me up for school tomorrow."

Cassidy snorted knowing full well I hated her bike. She had picked me up from school once and I never rode it again.

"Okay, you don't have too. But I'll pick you up since I'm so nice and I feel guilty about you riding the bus." Cassidy grinned and pulled down the visor in the passenger seat to check her makeup.

I asked her where we were going and she told me to go to the frozen yogurt shop, the high school hangout for the beach kids.

I ordered our yogurts while Cassidy was chatting up the lacrosse guy she had seen earlier, a citrus melon one for me and a butter berry for her. Weird sounding, I know, but I swear they taste so much better than they sound.

I paid for the food and sat down in a booth, waiting for Cassidy so we could eat our first fro-yos of the season. And waited. And waited. I finally got bored of waiting and watching my yogurt melt so I sent her a text asking her what was taking so long, and dug in to my yogurt. Mmm, it was good. My phone vibrated on the table and I reached over to flip it open.

_**Sry, chatting w/cute guy! Allen plays lax and wants 2 no if we can come 2 his game on Sat. its right after the 1**__**st**__** football game of the season. Plz????? Oh, and thnx 4 waiting 4 me to dig in **_

I grumbled incoherently and shot her a look. She was looking at me with puppy dog eyes. Then she saw that I had already started eating my dessert and turned her begging face into a scowl. I laughed and reluctantly nodded.

Her face instantly brightened and she turned back to Allen, or whatever his name was. That was when a shadow fell across the tabletop and a text from Cassidy popped up on my already open phone. It was visible to me.

_**Queen Bee alert. Don't look up!!!**_

So, of course, I looked up to find Stella glaring at me. I sighed.

"What do you want, Stella?" I asked her wearily.

"Tanner," she said simply. "But he's stuck on you, obviously," she grumbled.

I snorted. "Hardly. But you're welcome to him, I guess. It's your life." Stella grinned in triumph and turned to leave. "Oh," I said and she turned back to face me. "And good luck." Stella glanced at me like I was crazy before snatching her fro-yo off the counter and flouncing out of the store.

Whoa, wait, hold up. What did I let her do?

A/N- dont 4get to review, so i can put another chapter up!!! :)


	6. Chapter 6

(A/N- the song is _Before I Let You Go_ by Freestyle")

**Chapter Six**

_I can still remember yesterday_  
_We were so in love in a special way_  
_And knowing that you love me_  
_Made me feel, oh, so right_

_But now I feel lost,_  
_Don't know what to do_  
_Each and everyday I think of you_  
_Holdin' back the tears_  
_I'm trying with all my might_

Saturday came way too fast after a week of homework, annoying popular girls, and other things that I would gratefully experience all over again in place of going to a sports event.

But Cassidy would not let me back out, so, with plans to pick her up at 5, two hours before the lax game so we could do what best friends do (go over outfit choices, do hair and makeup, etc), I went out to my car, bag in tow.

I tossed my bag in the back seat, with a hasty 'Bye Mom I'll be back by curfew' and put my key in the ignition. No go. I turned the key again and again. But the car wouldn't start. My eyes went to the gas gauge. Oh, no. In all the hustle and bustle of the first week of school, I never refilled my tank.

My mom was no help; she had taken her car in for repairs two days ago. I was hitting myself when I took my cell out of my bag and made a quick call.

Five minutes later, a pink Harley drove into my driveway, engine snarling. My best friend, clad in short jean shorts, a tank top, and black bike boots, climbed off her bike, taking off her helmet and shaking her blonde hair loose of her rubber band.

"I'm regretting this already," I said as she came to hug me.

"Don't be such a worry-wart. And, hey, look on the bright side, I won't have to pick you up for school on Monday!"

I laughed. "That's true," I said, as I led her to my bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, we were sitting cross-legged on my bed, waiting for our nail polish to dry. Cassidy had managed to put me in white flip-flops, a tight-fitting white t-shirt, and short jean shorts with a peace-sign belt. My hair had been braided fishtail style.

"Okay, can we _please _go now?" Cassidy complained, shoving her newly painted nails into her motorcycle boots. We all know never to ride a motorcycle in flip-flops, so she had put a change of shoes in the seat compartment on her bike. I held a purse with our phones, sunglasses, and iPods.

"Why are we leaving so early?" I asked.

"No reason. Just because it might be harder to find seats."

"Two hours before the game?"

"Um, yeah," Cassidy said as I climbed onto her bike besides her. She opened the seat compartment and took out another helmet, holding it out to me. I shook my head.

"No way. Freshly done hair, remember?" But I could see Cassidy rolling her eyes; she hadn't put down the visor on her helmet yet.

"Oh, don't you be such a chick. Helmet hair is in these days, and concussions are so out," she said, closing the discussion by snapping her visor shut.

I sighed and gingerly put on the helmet, trying to keep it loose enough to not ruin my braids, since it had taken four tries to get them right.

I was trying not to open my eyes too much, so when I finally opened them as I felt Cassidy make the familiar right turn into our school parking lot, I almost jumped off the bike right then and there.

I poked her in her side; she wasn't ticklish, but it would get her attention. She glanced back at me, and I could barely see the hint of a smile through the tint of her helmet.

I was polite though, and didn't want to cause a scene, so we got off the motorcycle in a front and center parking spot, Cassidy doing her famous hair wave as she took off her helmet, as I delicately unbuckled my helmet and easing it off so I wouldn't ruin my already wind-blown hair. I waited patiently until Cassidy had gotten on her flip-flops and started walking towards the field, ignoring several of the opposing team's fan's stares, to yell.

I yanked her to the side of the school. "What are you trying to do? Are you trying to upset me? It's working!" I spat out.

Cassidy adjusted her shorts (biker wedgie, she always claimed) before answering. "No. I just think you are wrong. And I'm not asking you to talk to him or anything, just watch. And if he see's you, then oh well," she told me calmly.

I slowly started to relax when I pulled Cassidy behind me towards the entrance to the field.

As we showed our student IDs to the teacher handing out tickets, some students from the other school whistled at us. I pointedly turned my head and followed Cassidy into the stands.

Then I sat back to watch the football game. Our school's star quarterback this year? Tanner Saboy.

* * *

It was half time. Cassidy left me at the concession stand to go find her "lax guy" she had been texting all through the game with the promise to find me after the cheerleaders had performed.

"Um, a Gatorade please." A guy in football attire for the opposing team, helmet still on his head, pushed past me to order a drink. He turned around after he paid, waiting for his order. His eyes met mine as he took off his helmet.

Oh my god. He was gorgeous. His blonde hair was not short, but didn't go past his ears and sweaty from playing football in the heat. It was spiked on top and had a few natural streaks of dark blonde hair mixed in. He had bright blue eyes that sparkled when he noticed me watching him take a drink of Gatorade. He came up to me.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey yourself," I said back.

"So, I haven't seen you around Merewether High. You go there or are you rooting for the enemy?" he asked casually, taking another sip of Gatorade.

I flipped my braid over my shoulder. "The enemy. But then again, it's the enemy that's kicking your school's butt." The score happened to be 23-11 at the end of half time.

"Touché. But in this case, I might just let you win." He grinned at me.

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Cassidy with Allen walking away from the bleachers. Cassidy winked at me, stuck her thumbs up and mouthed _Flirt back_!  
I grinned in response and said, "Well, then I wouldn't be able to come to the playoffs, where I hear Merewether would playing us again," I said coyly, twirling my other braid around my finger.

The football player grinned. "True. That would be a real shame. But just in case we lose, I should have your number so I can still keep in touch."

Wow, this guy is smooth.

So, in an act of confidence that I was sure to regret later, I opened my purse, took out my pen and wrote my cell phone number along his arm.

He was a great sport about it, considering he now had a girl's phone number in bubbly purple sparkle numbers.

"Ellie. I love your name, I once had a horse named Ellie," he commented, glancing at his arm and back at me, a smile on his face.

I laughed, holding out my phone. "Cool. Here, give me your number. I'd offer you the purple pen, but I doubt you do purple."

"You know me too well," he said, typing his number into my contacts. I glanced down at the name. Devon. Ooh, I like it.

"Whoops," I said, uncapping the pen. "I messed up, that's supposed to be a three, not an eight." I wrote down the correct number and put the pen away, seeing movement in front of me, but not paying any attention to it, I was too excited.

Some of Devon's teammates came over and called to him.

"I've got to go. I'll talk to you later?" he asked carefully, walking away. I grinned, putting him at ease (hopefully).

"Definitely!" I called after him and he grinned, running off to join his friends.

It was then that I noticed Tanner, in his uniform, all sweaty walking away from the other side of the concession stands, where the locker slash bathrooms were.

I realized that if you were standing there and looking from one order window to the next, you could hear and see every word someone on the other side of the concession stands said or did.

That realization made my heart ache for Tanner, and what I did next was something Cassidy claimed I did out of heart ache (though I wasn't so sure).

"Tanner!" I called, running towards him. He turned, trying to erase the hurt from his eyes before he faced me. It didn't work though, and I felt a pang of guilt.

"Hi, Ellie," he said. "If you don' mind, Coach wanted to run some plays before half time is over. I have to go."

"I know," I said, knowing he was just trying to get rid of me; Coach Daniels never ran any plays during the breaks in the game, said it was bad luck. "But I just wanted to say good luck."

He nodded and turned back to walk towards the field, but not before I could see surprise flicker across his face.

"OMG this game was amazing!" Cassidy yelled in my ear as the people around us whistled and clapped, celebrating our very own Beach View High's first win (by over 20 points) of the season.

I laughed gleefully, having forgotten my earlier sympathy for Tanner. "Yeah. But now I'm gonna have to get up the guts to call Devon." Cassidy looked at me strangely so as the football crowd left the stands and the lax crowd filed in, I told her about Devon and my run in and theory with Tanner.

"Okay, so I'm so happy for you that you found another guy that you like. But, that proves you're more over Tanner than I thought." She frowned. "I might have to intervene."

"You will do nothing of the sort," I told her shortly. "Let fate run it's own path, and in time, if Devon turns out to be the wrong guy, then we can talk. But I make no promises, no, make that, no guarantee that I will even _consider_ Tanner."

Cassidy shrugged. "Ok."

That's it? Just ok? I thought I'd hear an argument from her. But then I noticed Allen running onto the field for our team's pre-game warm-up routine.

And for the next hour and a half, I patiently waited for the game to be over. Me, I was more of a football spectator than a lacrosse spectator, but apparently, my best friend was both, because she watched attentively and groaned and cheered with the rest of the crowd.

But, about mid-way through the fourth quarter, I got unbearably bored, and got up to go to the bathroom.

Cassidy declined the invite to come along since Allen was on the field, so I went without her.

I was very surprised as I walked out of the bathroom and was on my way to the bleachers when I spotted Cassidy with someone behind her. Tanner. He apparently had not gone home, since though he had taken off his padding, his hair was still wet and he wore UnderArmor attire, and a bag of what I assumed to be his uniform lay at his side. Since nobody had sat down behind or in front of us, I noticed this quickly.

And being the girl I was, I decided to eavesdrop. Without being noticed, I crawled under the bleachers to the place where Cassidy and Tanner were sitting. I sat down under their bleachers and listened.

"Ugh, this is actually so boring. Especially when Allen's not playing," she muttered to herself, almost silently. But Tanner had good ears, because he leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Yeah, lacrosse is not my cup of tea, either, especially when there are no cute girls playing."

Cassidy was so startled that she dropped her phone she was holding and fell off her seat. Her bedazzled cell phone clattered down the bleachers and fell in front of me with a thunk. Ooh, it was a good thing there was glass underneath the bleachers; Cassidy would be ticked if her fairly new phone got broken.

I picked it up and moved it carefully to right under the bleacher where it had fallen. It was no longer on the ground, but on the metal underneath the bench, just far enough away so that it would not fall, yet close enough to the foot room of the bleachers so that it could be spotted without me being spotted with it.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Cassidy!" Tanner said, reaching down to offer her his hand.

"God! Don't scare me like that!" she snapped. "Now where's my phone!" Ah yes, I probably should mention she gets like that when she can't find something she needs, in this case, her phone.

She hopped frantically down the bleachers, looking for her phone. I backed away when her tan hand reached down under the bleacher I had hidden her phone under. She gasped in relief when her hand found her beloved cell phone. She stood up, now dignified, and brushed the hair out of her face, accepting Tanner's hand.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "My parents would kill me if I lost another phone. And next time, let me know you're there. Why _are _you here?" she asked him suspiciously. I think I knew what she wanted him to say, that he was here to see me. But she was disappointed.

"My dad can't come pick me up until later and my car is wrecked, so I had to do something while I waited for him, so lacrosse it is," Tanner explained, shifting his duffel bag onto his lap.

Cassidy brightened. "I can take you home," she said. Then her face lost the excited look. "Oh wait, no I can't. Ellie rode with me."

"Wait a sec. Ellie rode a motorcycle?" he asked in disbelief. And I couldn't blame him. All the talking I did with him about Cassidy and how she had a bike that I refused to ride got pounded into his head.

"Yeah, I can't believe it either."

I felt pity for Tanner, since I knew his dad worked really late, and the lax game would be over long before his dad could come get him. So, thanking the stars I had brought my phone with me, I whipped it out and sent a text to my mom, asking her to run across the street and borrow a can of gas from a neighbor and bring my car over. I knew she would not mind the two-mile walk home since she was in a new diet and over-exercise faze.

A few minutes later, I got a text. My mom had filled my tank and would have the car over in a few minutes, keys in the ignition.

I figured Tanner and Cassidy had gone back to watching the game since they were silent, so I crept out from under the bleachers, earning a few stares as some elementary-school-aged kids spotted me.

I was furiously pretend-texting on my phone when I climbed up the bleachers to sit next to Cassidy, who barely acknowledged my presence.

"Hey, Ellie," she said finally, when the quarter was over and the winning team (not ours) was parading around the field. "Tanner needs a ride home." He had not said a word to me and I had not said a word to him since I sat down.

He coughed uncomfortably. "Cassidy, don't, I'll wait for my dad," he said.

I snorted. "Yeah, have fun at eleven o'clock waiting for him," I retorted. "Go ahead, Cass, take him on your bike, I texted my mom at the end of the football game to bring my car. I cannot take much more of your 'transportation methods'," I told her.

Cassidy got that look on her face, the one she got when she was thinking up a plan that I usually did not like. Or that got me into trouble.

I got an instant message on my phone. I looked at it.

**You take him home.**

I looked over at Cassidy who was smiling brightly and ignoring me as best as she could. I glared at her when she looked over at me. She just smiled even wider.

**No, you take him. You're the one with the manly vehicle**.

I typed back. She pretended to wince when she read this. Our conversation continued.

**C: No, you.**

**E: You.**

**C: Take him home, dammit. You live closer. His house is out of my way.**

**E: No.**

"Yes," she said out loud, putting her phone back into her pocket. The discussion, to her, was closed. Tanner looked very confused, knowing he had missed something.

"Fine," I sighed like a four year old who didn't want to go to bed. "I'll do it."

"Thanks, Ell, you're the best."

"Come on, Tanner, I'm your ride," I said glumly, getting up and handing Cassidy her stuff I had kept in my purse for her.

"Um, okay," he said, reaching for his stuff. "Bye Cassidy. Nice talking to you."

"You too," she said sweetly. I glared at her one more time before leading Tanner to the parking lot in search of my car.

He was throwing his bag into the back seat when my phone pinged.

**C: Btw, eavesdropping is a sin.**

**E: How'd you know?**

**C: Sweetie, I would know that Jamaican-Me-Crazy nail polish anywhere. But thanks for not leaving the phone on the ground, where I ****know**** I dropped it.**

I smiled dryly when I looked down at my finger nails, and sure enough, there was the bright fuchsia polish I had put on last week. I should have known.

"Thanks for the ride," Tanner said as he got out of my car. "Really."

"Uh huh," I said absentmindedly, backing out of his driveway.

"And Ellie?" I stopped driving when I turned my car around in the road.

"What?" I said flatly.

"Thanks for making your mom drive your car over so Cassidy could give me a ride. I appreciate it," he said, taking a deep breath before turning and walking into his house.

I started driving again, flabbergasted. Jesus, was I really getting that easy to read?


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- once again, the song is _Before I let You Go_ by Freestyle

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

_Letting love go is never easy_  
_But I love you so_  
_That's why I set you free_  
_I know someday, somehow_  
_I'll find a way_  
_To leave it all behind me_  
_Guess it wasn't meant to be_

"Elizabeth!"

Someone screamed my name. At five-thirty in the morning. On a Saturday.

"What!" I yelled back, not bothering to open my eyes.

"Get down here, now!" I pulled myself out of bed with a groan, still trying not to open my eyes. I felt my way downstairs, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

My stepsister, Maria, was in the kitchen, half way dressed and looking way too pretty for five o'clock on a Saturday morning. She had a cup of coffee in one hand, and a binder in the other.

"I have my internship interview in two hours and it takes two hours just to get to the office building! Make me some breakfast, _now_. I have to go finish my hair and go over my notes. I expect a vegetarian omelet on my plate by the time I get back, with my vitamins lying next to it," she snapped, throwing her binder on the table and running down the hall to her room, which had been my mom's yoga room two months earlier.

My mom had started dating my now-stepfather, Jay, the summer before my senior year at Beach View High. He was a fairly tolerable person. He had sucked up to me while he was dating my mom, buying me anything and everything. He even tried to buy me a better car, but I remained loyal to my Mustang.

The second month he had been dating my mom, he had introduced me to the devil. No joke. Maria was a devil from hell as far as I was concerned. She had been there, done that, and has the horns and spiky tail to prove it.

She was pretty, which made it that much harder to like her. She was originally from Texas, so she did not have the blonde hair that me or my mom, or any of the other native Californians had. Her brown hair had some natural auburn highlights in it, and it fell in wavy curls down past her shoulders. Her bright green eyes contrasted her alabaster skin nicely and she had the body every girl dreamed of, curvy in all the right places, and naturally skinny. And to make it worse, she was five foot eleven and had killer legs, especially while wearing heels. Oh, and she was a senior, just like me, which meant I had to endure her wrath during school, too. But one good thing had come out of this spur-of-the-moment Vegas marriage. And that someone was padding into the kitchen right now; her blanket snuggled up against her chin.

My other stepsister, Jessica, was the cutest thing to ever walk the earth. She had _very_ curly black hair that went to her shoulders and dark brown eyes that when you stared into them, you could practically see her soul. She was five years old and spoke with the slightest southern accent, though it was much cuter on her than her sister. Her tan skin was much prettier than her sister's pale skin and she was _much_ nicer.

"Ellie?" she whispered to me. "Why are you up?" She rubbed her eyes sleepily, and then yawned.

"Why are _you_ up Jess?" I whispered back, reaching into the fridge for eggs.

"Maria was shouting."

"I know, but everything's okay now. Go back to sleep."

Jessica shook her head. "I want to stay out here with you. The air is being mad."

I smiled. The air was on full blast today and the vents in her room creaked and groaned when the air was on this high.

"All right. Go get dressed then come out here, I'll make you some eggs too." As Jessica waddled back into her room, blanket in tow, I scraped the omelet onto a plate and set a cup of orange juice in front of it. I had just started an omelet for me when Maria stormed into the kitchen. She was now fully dressed, a black business suit on, and her hair was straight and pulled in a side ponytail. She sported lip-gloss and a hint of blush.

"Forget the omelet, I'll just stop at Panera Bread on the way to the office," she growled. She grabbed her duffel bag and purse and rushed out the door. I barely heard her Lexus' peel out of the driveway, I was so glad she was gone- for an entire two days.

Jessica came back in the kitchen, this time in overalls. I smiled to myself. She was in the phase where she wanted to dress herself, and it didn't always work out.

"All right, Jessie, let's see. Your egg is on the table, do you want to help me make mine?" She nodded, so I dragged over a kitchen chair and she stood over the pan, poking at the egg with a spatula. I guess I was having scrambled eggs this morning.

As we sat eating, I told Jessica I was going running this morning. I _did_ need to stay in shape for the track team, as we had a meet this weekend. She wanted to come, so I agreed, as long as I helped her pick out a different outfit.

Fifteen minutes later, I was dressed in my track warm-up shorts and a sweatshirt, since it was only 70 degrees at six 0'clock on a Saturday morning. Soon it would become over 80 degrees, but for now it was considered chilly, especially by California standards.

I had Jessica put on shorts with a t-shirt and a jacket and her hair had been restrained by two braids. I knew she would be cold, so when I pulled out the old jogging stroller that _my_ mom had used with _me_ when I was little, I put a blanket overtop of my stepsister.

Another five minutes later, I had put my cell phone and wallet in the stroller's pocket and left a note for my mom telling her where we were and when we should be back.

I had no idea where my feet were taking me, as I ran with the stroller, I just zoned out and ran on the deserted street. A little while later, my feet hit something soft. I focused my eyes for the first time since I had started running. My feet had taken me to the beach.

For the first time since Dad died, I had yearned for the ocean. My senses took in everything while I just stood there, looking at the faint pink tinge in the sky were the sun would soon be rising, and the waves crashing peacefully against the abandoned beach. I smelled the salt water and the leftover scent of suntan lotion. I felt the cool sea breeze and the slight humidity that was already forming. I could practically touch the mist that was brought by the wind. It was amazing.

Sure, I had come to the beach since Dad died, but not very often, only once or twice a month, and never to be in the water, even to swim.

Jessica broke the serene atmosphere. "Wow," she said in her tiny voice.

Since Jay had brought his two daughters from Nevada where they had been staying with an aunt (yes, their aunt _had_ lived in Las Vegas, but on the outskirts), they had never been to the beach. Jay was very pale and he burned easily, so he hated the beach, which is why Jessica had never gone. Maria hated the sand and the whole thought of it getting in her bathing suit, so she had only ever stepped foot on the beach.

It was during a date, the first and only time she had been to the beach. She had just moved into our house and a guy from school asked her out. A week later, the guy had planned a nice, romantic walk on the beach and a dinner at the boardwalk café, thinking that Maria had been a Cali girl all her life and loved the beach, like almost every Californian. But, as soon as Maria had stepped in the sand in her designer sandals, and felt the hot sand messing up her shoes and salty sea breeze frizzing her newly permed hair, she had freaked. She came home only twenty minutes after the date had started, all messed up. We never saw the guy again after that disastrous date, and it was the end of Maria's beach experience.

"Do you want to go in the water?" I asked her, gingerly maneuvering the stroller over the sand. I had unconsciously moved closer to the water.

She nodded. I stopped the stroller a few feet before the water started and pulled her out. I took off our shoes and held her hand as she pulled me towards the water.

Jessica had a great time, splashing around and getting both of us quite wet.

When I finally pulled her out of the water, the sun had risen, and it was nearing seven. I used her blanket to dry us off as best as I could and I put her back in the stroller and started for home.

Halfway there, I changed my mind. I took a left instead of going straight, and I pulled out my phone, sending a text to Cassidy.

Twenty minutes later, I was seated on a bench with Jess on my lap and my best friend next to me, watching a fountain in the middle of the mall get cleaned.

"So…Why am I here this early again?" Cassidy teasingly, taking a sip of her latte. I handed Jess her cup of juice that I had bought for her and took a sip of my own latte before answering.

"I've been thinking…" I started, while Cassidy looked on encouragingly, "that I want to go to the beach later."

"_That_ was what you pulled me out of bed at seven thirty on a Saturday morning for? To invite me to go to the _beach_ with you?" she asked incredulously.

I shook my head. "No," I said, putting Jessica down so she could throw her cup away. "I want to go to the beach. To surf."

* * *

Review please! i know its short, but the end is coming soon and i want to drag it out ;) new chapter coming soon, i promise!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"You're kidding?" Cassidy asked me, mouth open wide. "It's about time!" she said.

That was true, it had been more than a year, and I was sure to be more than a little rusty.

"Well what are you waiting for? Come on!" Cassidy tossed her half-full cup into the trash and pulled me up.

"Wait, what?"

"You said you wanted to surf. I am not letting you postpone this any longer. It has been too long since I have seen you happy and I am not going to sit here wasting time, " Cassidy said as she put Jessica in her stroller and started wheeling her to the door.

I jogged to catch up to her. "_Now_? As in right now?"

"Yeah," Cassidy said in her infamous _duh_ tone. "Didn't you always say the waves are best in the morning? It's not even eight. I bet you could get changed and drive down to the beach by eight thirty. And you know what else? I will be there to support you in your monumental decision."

"Um, okay," I said doubtfully.

Cassidy and I parted ways as we walked out of the mall. Plans had been made to get to the beach in half an hour, hopefully while the waves were still good.

I would have to take Jess with me when I went, since my mom would be teaching a yoga class until noon and Jay was at work.

Cassidy, being the best friend she was, would watch Jess on the beach while I tried to relearn my old habits.

So, when I got home it was a few minutes to eight- I would have to work fast.

I sent Jessica to her room to change into her bathing suit, since she might want to get into the water for the second time in her life while Cassidy was in charge.

Meanwhile, I went up to my room. I reached into the piles of old junk and too-small clothes to get my neon green Roxy surf suit. I put it on over my bikini. Ah, still fit like a glove. I got flip flops on, put sunscreen, a hair brush, and two towels in a bag, and put up my hair into a ponytail.

I tossed the bag in the back of the car, got the beach umbrella, put that in the back of the car, and found my old ring of keys in the box in the hall closet.

I went through the keys until I found the one I needed, and I went out back past the pool to the old shed.

I put my key in the worn door lock and swung the door open wide, stepping back to avoid the mouse that scurried out as soon as I was out of the way.

I walked past the lawn mowers and the ancient beach chairs to the far end of the shed where shelves lined the wall.

On the top shelf was my dad's surfboard, propped up and covered in all the medals he had ever won. It seemed as if a spotlight was trained on only his board and angels were singing. Ignoring the tears that were starting to pile up and threatening to overflow out of my eyes, I quickly grabbed my board, the smaller one on the shelf below, and pushed my way out of the garage.

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I gently placed my blue and green board on the floor of the back seat and went into the house.

Jessica was waiting for me at the kitchen table, eyes trained on the television set on the counter that was now showing a re-run of _Blue's Clues_.

Her pink, frilly little one-piece looked really cute with her braids and I couldn't help but smile at the sight of her, wiping away almost all sadness and the memories my father's surfboard had brought.

"Come on, cutie pie. Cassidy's waiting," I said, grabbing a pair of my old goggles and Jessie's hat from the closet as I scooped up my stepsister. I put her in the car seat that I had in my car just for her, right next to all the beach stuff.

"Watch the stuff," I warned her as I pulled out of the driveway. "And don't step on my board."

"Where are we going?" Jessica asked me.

"The beach."

"Why?" Oh no, not this game.

"So I can surf."

"You don't surf."

"Yes I do, it's been a while though. You didn't know me when I surfed."

"Why?"

"Because your dad and my mom didn't know each other then," I said, turning on the radio, hopefully to stop the questions that were just bursting to get out of Jessie.

"Oh," Jessica finally said. I breathed a silent sigh of relief.

A few minutes later, I had pulled into a parking slot near the beach, but only after scanning the lot on either side of the cliff to make sure Tanner was not at the beach this morning.

I had Jessica hold the bag while I carried my board and the umbrella to the right side of the cliff, where I spotted Cassidy's bright rainbow chair.

It was only five minutes past our meeting time, but Cassidy was anxious. She hopped up the minute she spotted us and ran over to help me with the umbrella.

"Ohmigod I was so worried you flaked out on me, but then I was like, no she wouldn't do that to me," she rattled on as we walked towards her spot.

My best friend finally stopped talking when I set down my board and started setting up the beach umbrella.

"It's just that, I'm so glad you're doing this. For both you _and_ me," she said quietly as she bent down to take the towel that Jessica was trying to spread out.

I nodded, not saying anything, as I stood up and reached for my board.

"Okay, Jess. You ready to see your big sister in action?" Jessica nodded excitedly and trailed after me as I walked to the water's edge. Cassidy followed after a minute.

"Jessie, sweetie, let's stay right here and watch from here, so we don't get in Ellie's way, okay?" Jessica nodded and sat down right where the waves hit the shore. Cassidy watched her for a second, and then joined her.

"Oh man," she sighed. "I am so going to regret this later when I have all this sand in my butt." I laughed weakly. God, why was I so nervous?

I felt a hand on my ankle. Cassidy's. "Don't worry, Ellie. You can do this. Just getting this far is what mattered. Now the rest doesn't matter. You have faced your fear. You know you can finally surf without your dad. And don't worry," she added, catching the look on my face. "He's still here, looking out for you. Always has, always will be."

I nodded my thanks and stepped into the water, my courage spiking as soon as the icy water hit my feet. I could do this.

I paddled out towards sea, stopping when I got to the right spot to find the perfect wave.

* * *

When I finally dragged my sore and tired body onto the beach, it was teeming with people at the height of the day.

Cassidy had taken my little sister to the food stand in the parking lot, so they were sitting on the towels eating a picnic when I approached them.

"So…. how was it?" Cassidy asked me slyly. I grinned in response.

"Amazing. It took about three waves to get my rhythm but now I've got it back!" I cheered. The tourists sitting a few feet next to our towels stared. I glared at them and they quickly looked away, busying themselves with sunscreen.

"Pickle?" Jessica held out a dill pickle from her sandwich for me. I accepted it, loving the juicy taste that filled my dehydrated mouth.

It was then that I noticed all the food they had. "How much did this cost you?" I asked Cassidy suspiciously. She was known to go overboard.

"Barely anything," she promised. I was relieved. That is, until she added, "By the way I owe you thirty bucks." She shrugged helplessly while I gave her _the look._

"Jessica was hungry," she protested. "Ok, I was. But I promise I'll pay you back, I just didn't have my wallet."

And true to her word, she ate it _all_, but that was the least of my worries. It was nearing one and everyone was starting to come to the beach. I had thankfully remembered to put my board back in my car, but what about all the people on the beach? The afternoon was the most popular time at the beach and if I was spotted here, people were bound to start talking.

Jessica, the sweetie she is, made my decision for me. "I'm tired, Ellie," she whined soon after Cassidy scarfed down the last slice of watermelon.

"Let's go home," I said a little too quickly. Cassidy smiled knowingly and gave me a squeeze.

"See you at school, bestie," she said, and took off, while I loaded everything in the car and headed for home.

* * *

Monday came too soon. _Way_ too soon. "Elizabeth!" Uh oh. Sounded like the devil was home from vacation and ready to destroy my life. But hey, at least she let me sleep in.

"What now?" I asked grumpily as I pulled on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and vest.

"Unpack for me. I need to get ready for school," Maria informed me as soon as I stepped foot in the kitchen.

As soon as I took her suitcase, she put her hair up in a ponytail and sat down at the table. "All done," she chirped.

I rolled my eyes while I dragged the suitcase to her room. _Only a few more months_, I told myself.

At school, it was pretty much the same, but I was o the top of the world from finally going surfing. Nothing could bring me down, not even Maria.

So when I was walking to lunch with Cassidy, I almost fainted with surprise. As it was, I had to suppress a shriek.

Maria stood at her locker, which was almost directly across the hallway from mine. I thought it was a cruel joke that a higher power was playing on me. But now, it was not just cruel, it was everything and _worse_.

Maria leaning against her locker, which was nothing new. But instead of scanning the crowd for innocent people to harass, she was busy making out with some guy.

Why was I almost about to faint you ask? Well, I'll get to that in a minute. But while Maria was swapping spit with this guy, I just stopped in surprise. Cassidy bumped into me and was about to ask me what was wrong when I put a finger to my lips and pointed. We quietly tiptoed to my locker and I eased it open, so Cassidy and I could pretend to root through my locker while actually spying on my evil stepsister and her new guy in my locker mirror.

After a few hours (just kidding, it was only a few more minutes), they stopped and my sister whispered, "See you later, baby," and sauntered off in the direction of the cafeteria, without even noticing me.

So, I shut my locker and turned around with Cassidy so I could see who the mystery guy was. (And this is where I almost shriek slash faint). The mystery guy turned around. His face was flushed and his lips were slightly swollen, but he smiled faintly. He looked like the guy Maria would typically go after- broad and muscular with a natural tan and the athletic type. He just so happened to be the star quarterback this year, too. Did I mention he was my ex?

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What do you guys think? Review, review, review!


	9. Chapter 9

(A/N- the lyrics are _Lullaby_ by Lit)

**Chapter Nine**

_I'm always gonna love you  
I promise you, I promise  
I'm always thinking of you  
I promise, I promise you__  
_

I swear I'm gonna make it up to you  
I know someday you'll understand

Cassidy gripped my arm so tightly it would surely leave a bruise. I felt my breath catch in my throat and I let out a little strangled sound.

It was only then that Tanner came out of his daze and realized that I was standing with Cassidy, having just witnessed his tongue hockey game with my step-sister.

"Ellie, I can explain-" he started. I gave him a look that could kill, tears welling up in my eyes.

"Save it for someone who cares," I retorted sharply. And with that I turned on my heel, slammed my locker door shut with a loud bang and mall-walked down the hallway to the girl's locker room.

Cassidy found me there twenty minutes later. I was resting on the floor, propped up by the rows of lockers. I was too weak to even go down into the passageway, so I had just leaned against a locker when I came in and the next thing I knew, I was sitting on the floor with a mascara-streaked tissue in my hand and dried tears on my face.

"Aw, honey," she said, taking one look at me and sitting down next to me. She put her arm around me, and with the other arm she reached into her backpack.

She pulled out a fresh tissue and replaced it with my used one. She got up, fetched a paper towel, wet it and came up to me to wipe away my smudged mascara and tears.

A few minutes later, I was all dried up. I couldn't cry any more. So, with that thought, I heaved myself up off the disgusting locker room floor (I know, what was I thinking?) and went to go examine the damage in the locker room's bathroom mirror.

I was a mess, but after some quick runs through my hair with a brush, a tug and smooth down of my shirt, some make-up remover and re-application of Chap Stick, I looked as good as new.

"You wanna skip?" Cassidy asked me.

I nodded. "Most definitely. I need some girl time right now."

Cassidy handed me my bag and hoisted hers on her shoulder. After a glance at my phone, we found it was only about thirty seconds until the second-to-last period of the day, and we could sneak out easiest then.

The bell rang and we rushed out of the locker room, eager to get all the way to the other side of the school and out the front doors without any interruption.

All was good until I spotted Tanner sitting by himself, looking dejected, on a bench only a few yards away from the door and my escape. I slowed down to a snail's pace and whispered to Cassidy, hoping he wouldn't spot me.

"What do I do? I can't go by there without him seeing me!" I hissed.

"Who cares? You wanna go out of here looking like what he did didn't bother you and you're leaving for an orthodontist appointment, not as scared as a turkey on Thanksgiving Day," she whispered back. I nodded; as always, she was right.

So, with head held high and my best friend by my side, I marched up to the front door. I was almost there when Tanner suddenly spotted me. He stood up quickly and reached out to grab my shoulder to spin me around. "Ellie."

The force of his hand stopped me mid-step in my confident strut. But Cassidy had my back. She slapped his hand away and pushed me towards the door. I went without complaint, but not before I heard my best friend give it to Tanner.

"Back off, Saboy. Bottle up your BS and try selling it to someone else, 'cause we're not buying it. Leave her alone and don't try and 'explain' things to her, kay? 'Cause she won't listen."

I mentally cheered my best friend. Tanner looked like he had been slapped; he gathered up his books and walked down the hall without another word. I waited outside and when Cassidy came out I ran to her and gave her a huge hug.

"Oh my god that was _amazing_," I said. "Thanks."

"No prob." She shrugged. "He deserved it. Now come on, we have a mall to hit!"

* * *

"Ok I feel so much better," I said, trying to park my car without smudging my still slightly wet manicure.

"Told you," Cassidy said with a smug smile. "Now hurry up and get your stuff!"

"Fine," I sighed, grabbing my backpack and jumping out of my car a few feet ahead of her.

I stopped right when I walked in the front door. My mother was leaning against the counter and Maria was standing off to the side with a smug smile on her face.

I could hear Cassidy come up behind me and I reached behind me to make a stopping motion with my hand.

"You. Are. In. Big. Trouble," my mom started. I winced. I felt Cassidy pinch my back. From where she was standing, she was invisible to both Maria and my mom, but it was nice knowing she was there.

"How could you, Ellie?" my mom asked me.

I shrugged. "I needed some time to myself," I explained weakly, not moving an inch.

"That makes no sense," Maria said haughtily. My mom shot her a look and she got quiet.

"Ell, why would you punch a student? This doesn't make any sense? Unless it's a repercussion of your father's death, but why would it be so much later?" She kept babbling, so I dared a look behind me.

My best friend looked as confused as I felt. What in the world was my mom talking about?

"You know, my boyfriend? Don't act like you don't know what your mom is talking about, Ellie," Maria said sugary-sweet. But I _don't_ know what my mom is…oh. That brat!

Luckily Cassidy grabbed my arms to keep me from launching myself at my stepsister, and stepped into the house. Both my mom and Maria jumped.

"She did it for me, don't be mad at her. She was just being a good friend," Cassidy said. I gave her a look, but all I saw on her face was pure innocence. To any one else, it would look as though she was thoroughly confused at why someone would be yelling at me and that she was telling the truth, but I knew her well enough to detect her infamous I'm-lying-but-this-is-my-champion-liar-face-so-ha look.

"I'm sorry, what?" Both my mom and Maria looked shocked. Maria, because she thought we would catch her in her lie, my mom because she's too involved in Jay and her job to notice that I actually do something nice for someone else.

"Yes," I interjected, "I did it for Cassidy." I thought wildly for an excuse.

Cassidy was already one step ahead of me. "He was teasing me and not being nice at all, it's just the type of person he is, don't think about it too hard," she added, knowing my mother to be a worry-wart. "He would not leave me alone or go away and I couldn't exactly go get a teacher, he had me cornered, so Ellie being the best friend she is, ran up to him, and she shoved him. Just hard enough so he would back up and I could get away. Shoved, not punched," she reiterated.

"Oh, honey, are you okay? It feels just awful being bullied, I'm sorry. Do you want me to call the principal or anything?" My now-concerned mother pulled Cassidy in for a hug. Over my mom's shoulder and away from Maria's furious gaze, Cassidy winked at me and I managed a weak smile. Anything more than that and I would bust a gut.

"But, Mom, shouldn't you know, Ellie get in trouble? She punched my boyfriend!" Maria whined, trying to save herself as her made up story blew up in her face.

"Yes, and that's bad, Ellie, but you did the right thing, honey, standing up for your friend. Next time, do it nicer."

"But-but-but…." Maria stammered. "My boyfriend was harassed by your daughter!"

"Well if he always acts like he did today, than maybe he shouldn't be your boyfriend," my mom retorted. I mentally cheered her on. It was rarely that my stepsister got on my mom's nerves, but when she did the reaction was priceless.

"Ugh!" Maria stormed out of the room, probably off to go complain to Jay or Tanner.

As for Cassidy and me, we made it to my bedroom door before we cracked up. I shut the door on our laughter, smiling. All was right with the world, at least for now.

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REVIEW PLEASE :)


	10. Chapter 10

A/N- so so so sorry i haven't updated in FOREVER. im doing this story for an ongoing english project, and im hoping to publish it, so i wanted to finish all my other unfinished fanfic stories first, so i have been working on those before this one, but here is another chapter, a short one, but still something for y'all to read :) don't forget to review!

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

"So…" Cassidy started, giving me a look.

It was Friday and I was on top of the world. Ever since Maria's plan had backfired on her, she had been bothering me less and less. Tanner hadn't even so much as glanced in my direction. Cassidy told me both people probably had a bit of influence on the other- Tanner was feeling guilty, and told Maria to lay off. Maria was being her usual jerk self and told Tanner to not so much as even sneeze towards me. I agreed with her, both sounded just like the two people I hated.

"So what?" I asked, twirling the dial on my locker.

"I saw a poster today…" my best friend trailed off uncertainly.

"Oh no. I know what you're going to say and there is no way I'm doing it."

"Oh come on Ellie! Why not? You have to get out there again!"

"I am not contending in that shallow surfing competition! Absolutely not! It's for wannabes who have no life."

"Well then why don't you show them how it's done?"

"Cassidy, I said no."

"Elizabeth, I say yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Fine."

I smiled triumphantly. My smile slowly turned into a slight frown. "I just am not ready for that yet. No one even knows that I have been surfing again except for you and Jess. And I'm hoping it will stay that way." I gave Cassidy a pointed look.

"I'm not going to tell anyone!" she said, crossing her heart.

"Good."

The bell rang for the last period of the day, chemistry, and Stella and I hurried to class.

"Oh no," Cassidy whispered as we snuck into our seats just a few seconds before the tardy bell rang. "Brown's MIA!"

I glanced at the sub, which was an old lady rocking the librarian look.

"You have got to be kidding me. So much for the fun class."

Yesterday, Brown promised us a movie. And not one of those crappy informational Bill Nye or whatever. A legit movie. He hinted at romance, too, which got all of the girls squealing and the boys groaning, but he said we could bring in snacks and sit wherever, too. We were set to take midterms next week and he thought we deserved a break before all the stress of tests, so he was going to treat us. Key term being _was_, I guess.

"Ok, you know what? This just ruined my weekend," Cassidy complained from her seat next to me. I elbowed her. "What? You agree, you're just too polite to say anything."

"Shh," I hissed.

"Ok, I know I'm not who you were expecting," the sub started. Her comment was met by murmurs of agreement. "But," she said, silencing us with a look. "The plans remain the same."

We cheered, and ten minutes later, after roll had been taken, everyone had their feet (some shoeless) propped up on the lab tables, sodas open beside them, and eyes trained on the screen, which was showing _She's the Man_. The boys like it because of all the soccer ad cute girls, and girls love it because of all the romance and hot guys, so it was a win-win. The smell of popcorn was in the air, and Cassidy and I were splitting a jumbo bag of gummy worms.

Then came the murmuring from the tables in front of us.

"Did you hear...no I…party tomorrow…parents gone…totally rocks…" Cassidy and I shared a glance. I smiled and nodded, knowing what she was thinking. She does this at all the movies we go to when the people around us are too loud.

"Shut up!" she yelled, then pretended to be very interested in the bag of gummy worms and the movie. Everyone got quiet. Everyone but Stella and her lab partner.

"So, I heard something interesting about you today," Stella whispered, twirling a lock of her perfect hair around a manicured finger.

"What was that?" Tanner mumbled, distracted by the movie.

"You're going to be a judge," she said coyly.

"Mmm," he agreed. I nudged Cassidy but when I looked over, I saw she was already listening, too.

_For what?_ I mouthed. She shrugged.

"Personally, I don't understand why they picked you. You have never surfed. But you have the looks for it." She ran a hand through his sloppy curls. This got his attention, and his bright blue eyes met mine for a split second, and then went to Stella's.

I stared at Cassidy and she stared back. I had told her about Tanner and my past a while ago, so she knew we used to surf together. But why does no one else know?

My ears went back to the conversation.

"Actually, I used to surf all the time. I started when I was four and stopped after I turned eighteen."

I had just taken a big gulp of my bottled green tea and I started choking. Nobody heard me except for Cassidy, who silently pounded me on the back. She and I shared yet another look.

Eighteen years? Eighteen years…that means it would have been when I was eighteen…which was when my dad died…which was when I totally shunned Tanner then gave up surfing. Oh boy, he gave up surfing when I did? Coincidence? I think not.

"Why did you stop?" Stella asked. Weird, she looked legit curious.

"Um, I wasn't into it any more. When I was six, I met this girl. And she became my best friend. We surfed together, and when she stopped, I didn't feel like surfing any more, so I stopped too." It seemed like Tanner was purposely avoiding looking in my direction and for that I was actually grateful.

Good thing I hadn't taken another sip of tea, or I would have been choking on that one too. I avoided eye contact with Cassidy. I literally felt my heart ripping. Tanner stopped his surfing career? For me?


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

_Okay, Ellie, focus_, I told myself. I wanted to hear the rest of Tanner and Stella's conversation, but I was coming to a close.

"Oh," Stella said, and Tanner turned back to the movie, signaling the end of the conversation.

After class was over, I rushed out with Cassidy before Tanner had even put his backpack over his shoulder.

We parted ways at the end of the hall to go to our respective lockers, an unspoken agreement to meet in the locker rooms later hung in the air.

Ten minutes later, I heard Cassidy come down the stairs into the room. I had changed into one of the bathing suits I keep down here and was lounging in the hot tub, sipping a chai latte and watching the latest episode of _Gossip Girls_ on the TV. Cassidy began to open her mouth and I shook my head.

"Ah ah ah," I scolded. "Not yet. I'm not feeling the Zen." My best friend rolled her eyes, but went along with it, dropping her book bag in the corner, and changing into another bathing suit. She went over to the mini fridge and pulled out a soft drink, then joined me in the hot tub.

"Ahh," she sighed. "This is the life."

She glanced over at me and I nodded. "Go for it."

"I cannot believe he did that for you, Ell. That is _so_ romantic," she squealed. I covered my ears.

"Cassidy Jennings. I do not walk to hear that. Shut up," I complained, removing my hands to take another sip of my drink.

"Seriously, Ellie, get over yourself."

I paused, my drink halfway to my lips. "Excuse me?"

Cassidy was glaring at me. "You heard me. You need to stop. That boy is obviously head over heels for you, still. And I see it in your expression every time you look at him. I can even tell when you think about him. You get this dazed expression on with a slight smile and your eyes seem to get brighter. He makes you happy. And you are just in denial."

I scowled, not wanting to hear this. "Not now, Cassidy. I just got into my happy place and you are ruining it."

Cassidy openly rolled her eyes. "All you talk about is this yoga stuff to make you calm. You're spending too much time around your mother. And you know what? Your happy place probably has Tanner in it, doesn't it?"

It did, but he was being publicly humiliated in all my happy places. And I wasn't going to let Cassidy have the satisfaction she was right.

"Ok, Cassidy, you don't get it, do you? So I'm not going to even explain it to you. You'll just be more of a bitch."

That did it for Cassidy. I could see in her eyes when I said too much, but I didn't offer to take it back, I was too mad.

"Get what? What don't I get? That you are a selfish girl who can't take criticism from people? Or that you act like the littlest thing bothers you? Or maybe it's that you treat everyone, including me like an inconvenience?"

I cringed, but she wasn't done.

"_No,_ maybe it's that you don't get over stuff. You keep harping on stuff. Build a bridge and get over your dad's death. Get over Tanner and that you don't want to be with him. Just _get over yourself_!" She was screaming by the time she was done. I wasn't quite through, though.

"No, you don't get that all that 'yoga stuff' does keep me calm. It's how I cope with my _life_! I would lash out at everyone if I didn't do it. I'm holding too many damn emotions in. You don't know what it's like to lose a parent or someone close to you. You don't know what it feels like to have your mom start seeing another guy only months after your dad dies, then find out he has the devil for a daughter. You _don't know_." I said, sternly, but quietly. I had tears pouring down my face.

"Yeah. You're right. I don't know. If you would ever tell me anything I might. But you don't, so I guess it's gonna stay like that." And with that, Cassidy jumped out of the hot tub, grabbed a towel, wrapped herself up in it, grabbed her bag, and stormed away.

As for me, I just sat in the hot tub, crying myself dry, and leaving my wrinkling skin at the mercy of the hot water I was sitting in.

* * *

Early the next morning, just as the sun was peeking up over the horizon, I got out of bed and changed into my wet suit.

I packed all my surfing gear into my car, grabbed my wallet, keys, and tote bag, and drove to the beach.

When I got to the beach, I made sure my anklet was secured under my wet suit, and put my hair up in a ponytail. I pulled a bright blue baseball cap out of my bag, which matched my board and wet suit, and put in on my head to protect my eyes from the sun. I put my hair through the hole in the back, then grabbed my stuff and walked down to the beach. It was completely empty, except for the lone food vendor, but even that was unmanned at five thirty in the morning.

I took one look at the waves and turned around. The waves were really choppy here, which was unusual. It made me uncomfortable, I still couldn't surf the way I used to, so I got in my car and went to the next best spot, which I knew would be empty.

Fifteen minutes later, I was pulling up against a curb. This house, which I had known since childhood, was my parent's old house and the house that we had lived in until I was eleven. It sat on a cliff, but not near the end, that would be a really stupid place to put a house. It sat near an old dirt road, a few hundred yards from the edge of the cliff, which was marked by the picket fence surrounding the rest of the yard. No other houses were close to the white cape cod for miles, it stood all by itself, yet it did not feel lonely. It felt like…like home.

The only other thing remotely close to this house was the hot beach spot that teens in the next county over would come to when their part of the water was trashed by drunken adults from the bar that was along the edge of the beach. It was a really hot surfing spot, but it was about a quarter of a mile away from the left side of the cliff, which wasn't really that wide, only wide enough for a small house and a hundred yards on each side before the rocky structure merged with the road once more. I used to run into people I knew, and that is how I first met Tanner, he owned the house the closest to mine, and then it was by pure coincidence that he moved only a few minutes away from me a year after my family sold the house and moved twenty minutes away to a house more convenient to my dad and his job.

I dug out the old key that I had hidden the day we moved from under the giant flowerpot next to the door. The old pot still held the only palm tree I had ever seen, but the recent draught had not treated it well, its leaves were starting to wilt and lose the bright green color.

After dusting off the collected dirt on the key, I put it in the feeble lock and turned. The door swung open easily and I stepped inside for the first time in seven years.

My mom and dad used to hire a housekeeper twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring to come and clean the place out, but since he died, I don't think my mom has even remembered about this old house. There was dust everywhere, and I sneezed every time I put a foot down and a little cloud of who-knows-what rose from the carpet. I decided to put my foot down. Not literally, of course, as that would have brought on another sneezing fit. Instead, I took out my cell phone and dialed a number I have not needed to call in more than seven years, but still knew by heart.

"Hello?" A groggy voice answered the phone after a few rings.

"Hey, Claire?"

"Yeah…who's this?"

"It's Ellie…can you get your mom?"

I heard urgent murmuring and shuffling on the other line. I waited patiently, moving through the house, and trying to find a safe place to sit. I finally went so low as to get a rag from the hall closet and wipe off a kitchen chair for me to sit and store my stuff.

While I was dusting off the table, a voice came on the phone."

"Ellie? Is that really you? Oh my goodness, I haven't seen you since you were a wee little girl." I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Hey, Georgia. Sorry to wake you up so early, but I have a favor to ask."

"Oh, anything for you, honey. I haven't seen your mother and father in a while. How are they? They still badgering you about your surfing career?" She chuckled, while my eyes swam with tears. I swallowed back a lump in my throat.

"Actually, that's why I'm calling. My dad…he…he passed away a few months ago. And my mom hasn't had any one clean the old house since before then. I think she's trying to erase all memories of him, including this house, so it's a mess. Would you be willing to come out of retirement for a day or two and come fix up this old place?"

Georgia was silent for a moment. But, Georgia, being Georgia, didn't say quiet long. "Of course, dear. I am so very sorry about your father. He was a good man. And a good boss," she added lightly. I laughed.

Georgia was our housekeeper since I was two, up until we moved out. She had been a teen mom at the time she started, sixteen and needing a job to support her and the unborn baby. Her daughter, Claire, had been born when I was almost three, and my mom would watch her while Georgia cleaned. They both became part of the family. But, once we moved and decided to keep the house, Georgia decided it was onto another job. She now teaches cooking and sewing classes at the local community center, where Claire volunteers to watch the adult's kids during their classes.

"Can you come over later today?" I asked, getting up and running a finger over the sink. I turned on the tap. Nothing. "And maybe you can figure out how to get the water and electricity back on for a little while. I have a hunch I'll be spending a lot of time here."

"Why don't I come over at ten and get started? I've got classes tonight at seven, so I can work until about five then I need to get back home. Do you mind if Claire helps out?" Another good thing about Georgia is she didn't ask questions.

"The more hands there are the faster it will go, I guess," I said. "But I won't be here, so she _will_ have to work. I'll pay you the old rate."

"It's a deal," she said. "And I expect to hear all about what's bothering you when I get there." The bad thing about her? She cared about me more than my own mother.

I said my goodbyes and put my phone in my bag. I also grabbed my water bottle and set it out on the counter. I left everything on the kitchen except for my board and towel. It would be a long hike to the beach and I didn't need anything extra weighing me down on the long trip down.

As soon as I walked to the sun room and opened the screen door, I paused on the grassy lawn, feeling the grass tickle my toes around my flip-flops.

I stopped again after taking a few more steps. I sighed and looked up to the sun, feeling its warmth on my face. This was where I was meant to be.

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Author's Note: See? i told you I'd have another chapter up soon but you guys didn't believe me! review please as always :)


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

I walked over to the top of the stairs that would lead me to the beach. I looked down, realizing this was the only part of the old house I did not miss- the stairs.

When I was four and just learning to count, I decided to try and count how many stairs went down the side of the cliff and adjoining hill. My little brain could not comprehend how there were numbers past one hundred, but my dad took me by the hand and I followed him as he counted out loud, all the way to four hundred and sixty three, to the bottom of the stairs and the start of the stretch of sand.

With a sigh, and a quick mental pep talk saying _suck it up;_ I began my long journey to the beach.

I arrived at my destination a few minutes later. I could just imagine my GPS saying that in it's annoying voice. I smiled, remembering a memory.

My dad opened up the bright red Christmas wrapping paper to reveal a box from Victoria's Secret.

_ "Just what I've always wanted," he joked, his eyes twinkling. "My own bra."_

_ But when he got the box open, he found not a bra or a sexy piece of lingerie, but a GPS. _

_ "Ah, you girls had me fooled." He pulled me and my mom in for a hug. We had gone shopping last week for this; it had been a bonding experience- arguing each other over which one to get, arguing with the store assistant over which one to get, and arguing with the cashier over how to package it._

_ But it was worth it; the look on my dad's face was priceless. That night, he and I poured over the instruction manual, and figured out how to use it. _

_ He never put it down after that. For every family trip, it would sit right on our dashboard talking in it's nasally accent._

_ Then one day, it stopped working. I was almost in tears, but my dad sat me down in his lap. _

_ "I didn't love it for what it was. I loved it because you gave it to me."_

I blinked a few times to get the tears out of my eyes and I went to go find a good spot on the beach. I dropped my stuff on the boulder that connected with the bottom of the cliff and looked at my surroundings. There seemed to be no other people on my side of the beach, which was good.

Technically, we owned the beach on either side of the cliff for about 500 yards. Of course, we also owned the few yards in front of the cliff before the sand turned into water. When we still lived here, my parents had put posts and '_No Trespassing- private beach_' signs at the borders of our property. A quick jog in either direction told me no one had taken them down.

Satisfied, I got ready to go in, and then I went for it. Surfing at home again made me feel like I was on top of the world. Nothing could go wrong….

**Tanner's POV**

I watched all the girls in their bikinis parading their goods up and down the strip of sand. Most of them looked like they had just stepped out of a Victoria Secret catalog and never had even dipped a pinky toe in the sea before.

But hey, I had been asked by my dad to judge this stupid surfing contest and I was getting paid good, so I won't complain.

Seriously, though, these girls did nothing for me. My dad probably thought he was doing me a favor, giving me all these girls to look at. But I only cared about one.

"Hey, gorgeous." Maria had snuck up behind me and snaked her arms around my waist.

No, not this girl. This girl was not in my dreams or thoughts every second of every day. Her sister was. And, with a sigh, I realized what I had to do.

I turned around to find her lips centimeters away from mine. I breathed in her designer perfume and tried my best not to gag.

"So, listen, Maria," I started.

"Wait, baby, hold on. The contest is starting! Talk to me after I win. And don't look at all those other girls, now, you hear?" She playfully shoved me aside and went to go join the other contestants.

Now, I know for a fact she has never stepped foot on a surfboard before, and I was looking forward to the entertainment it was sure to bring me.

A whistle in the distance brought me to my senses. The competition was starting, and seventy girls ran into the water, flouncing everything they had for me and the two other judges, trying to get an advantage. They had to look and be good in the water, and if you wiped out, you were eliminated.

Within seconds of the first wave, half of the girls were done. Including my girlfriend. She stormed over in tears, and whispered in my ear, before the other officials could hear her and yell at her.

"You know I'm better than that, baby. You better make me win." She said it in a sugary voice, but her eyes showed maliciousness towards me.

I nodded absent-mindedly, trying to watch the rest of the competitors. She walked away and I could focus more clearly.

Twenty minutes later, only four girls remained, and those were the only ones that could really surf.

Ten minutes later, when it was down to two, and time was almost up so we would have to stop and judge the girls based on performance, one lost her concentration and down she went. There was a winner. Now, with no need to reconsider the entire group of girls, Maria stormed out, no doubt expecting me to follow and call this whole thing rigged. But, when she looked over he shoulder, I was still in my seat, and she stormed away with a huff. I smiled to myself and went to go congratulate the winner.

"Hey," I said, going over to her, and shaking her hand. "Great job out there. You looked really good."

"Thanks," she said, smiling at me, and leaning on her board, which I could tell was custom made, probably just for this contest. "I've been surfing since I was twelve, and it's all paying off for me. And I'm Lacey."

I smiled at her, and she fluttered her eyelashes. Oh boy, not this. She was cute, I guess, average height, with curly brown hair in a ponytail, a nice body, but not too exaggerated on any one item, and she wasn't trying to look pretty like most of the girls out there. She still had something about her that warned me to say no. She just had an air to her, a seriousness, which warned people that a date better lead to marriage or a long-term relationship.

"So…" she started, glancing at me out of the corner of her eyes as she turned back around to stare at the water. "Does the winner get to be taken out on a date by a hot judge?"

I laugh uncomfortably, tugging at my t-shirt's collar. "No, sorry. I have a girlfriend." Not the one I wanted, but I wasn't about to tell her that.

"Oh." She looked heartbroken, and I felt bad. "But, hey, come with me and I'll get your trophy. How about being awarded a prize by a hot guy instead?"

She agreed, and I led her to the kiosk at the top of the sand.

"Congratulations," I said, handing her the two-foot tall trophy with a surfboard on top, and her check for 500 dollars.

We hugged and posed for the cameras from the newspaper, which was when Maria decided to make her grand re-entrance.

"What. Do. You. Think. You're doing?" she screamed, her face contorted into wild hatred.

"Posing for the papers," I said, calm as the sea after a storm.

I saw Lacey glance at me out of the corner of my eyes. I nodded and shrugged, as if to say, _hey, what can you do about it?_

"Thanks for taking the time to give me some photos, Tanner," Lacey said to me. "I'm Lacey. " she stuck her hand out to Maria, who ignored it. "I'm the winner of the contest, and your boyfriend was being so sweet, trying to get these photographers to take some pictures of me. I insisted he be in them with me, since he was the one who handed me my trophy," she said kindly, then walked away. "Nice meeting you," she called over her shoulder.

As soon as the threat was gone, Maria relaxed visibly. "Now, Tanner, sweetie, don't be falling all over other girls. I wouldn't want to lose you." She pulled me to her and hugged me tight. I pulled away.

"Can we talk now?" I asked her.

"Of course." She looked slightly bewildered, like she was thinking, _why would anyone need to talk to me? What have I done?_

I led her as far away from the group as I could get, I knew she would make a scene. But when I stopped, she tugged on my arm.

"Let's keep walking. There are people staring."

I turned, but no one was staring. I guess she just wanted to be alone with me, which I was not looking forward to.

We walked a few hundred more yards, and that was when I could see Ellie's old house in the distance, way above our heads on the protruding cliff. We were far enough away that it was just a block in the distance, but I could still see what it was.

I felt like stopping, but with Maria's arm leading me forward, I had no choice but to go on.

We were about four hundred yards away from Ellie's property markers, and we were in the shadow of the cliff, so if anyone looked over the edge, we would not be visible.

"So…" I started again, trying to get out of Maria's strong grip she had on my bicep. Her grip did not lessen.

"So…you took me all the way out in the middle of nowhere to talk to me. I really don't think talking was what you had in mind, you naughty boy," Maria said, slinking her arms around my waist and leaning in.

"Actually," I began, tugging her arms off of me. She looked hurt at the rejection. "I do need to talk to you, I have been trying all day. I think…" I paused, trying to phrase the words in such a way that she would not bury me alive, but kill me first to lessen the pain of being buried.

"I think we should go our separate ways. I haven't been into it lately and that is not fair to you." I stopped and tried to judge her reaction. She looked fine, but it also looked like it had not set in yet, which was not good. It was like the calm before a storm.

"I don't want you to have to be tied down to me when I know you have better options," I finished lamely, running out of BS to feed her.

"Okay," she said slowly. I gave her a look.

"So you're totally okay with me breaking up with you?" I asked.

"Of course not," she snapped. "I'm just not going to breakdown right here in public. It's what you wanted isn't it? You went out with me just to make Elli jealous! Well guess what, it didn't work, she hates you more than before we were dating, if it makes you feel any better. And you better watch your back," she finished menacingly. She leaned away from me, her minty breath and floral perfume scents evaporating.

Before exiting dramatically, like I expected her to, she brought her sandaled foot up, then down upon my bare flip-flop-ed foot.

I did not give her the satisfaction; instead I grimaced slightly and smiled thinly. "I'll see you around, Maria."

She stormed off, sand flying behind her angry body. I sagged against a wall, relieved. It was over. Temporarily, of course.

I heard this yelp, and when I walked over and could see beyond the cliff, I saw a girl out in the water. She raised her arms in the air and was doing a sort of dance in the water. While surfing. This chick was talented _and_ hot. I couldn't see her face, since a bright blue baseball cap cast a shadow on her. All I could see was blonde hair, and that did not help since every decent surfer out here had light hair thanks to spending hours on end in the sun.

A blue wet suit that reflected the sun covered her body, but I could not see the board, it was too far away. I would probably be able to tell whose board it is, I knew a lot of people that lived around here. The chick came in for a super smooth landing and dropped the board on the beach. The back of it was black, but that didn't mean anything except for that it was made by SurferStuff, the most popular and most expensive board makers in this area; black backing on a board was their signature style. She glanced in my direction, waved, and picked up her board, walking out of my view, presumably to the staircase that was there.

It took me a few seconds to realize that she was on private property, and that if she went up those stairs, she would be intruding even more on Ellie's property than she was here on the beach.

"Wait, hey wait!" I called, running over. By the time I got to the bottom of the staircase, it was too late. The girl was nowhere to be seen, and the only visible mark that she had gone this way was wet sand prints leading up the wooden stairs.

When I turned to walk back to the area of the beach where the contest had been held and my car had been parked, a flash almost blinded me. I turned by head slightly to the left. There it was again. I glanced down, and half hidden in the sand residue on the bottom stair, lay a bracelet, its golden chain glinting in the afternoon sun. I picked it up, inspected it, and then pocketed it. Who it belonged to, I had no idea. But I was pretty sure that it belonged to the surfer who was here. And when I found her, I would make sure to have a strict talking to with her about trespassing. I sighed, realizing there was nothing I could do now, then turned and walked back to the public beach, hoping with all my heart Maria was not still there.

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Hope you liked it! Review please and i hope to have more out soon! :)


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

The day started out great, then got stressful around lunchtime. I was in a good mood. I had surfed on Sunday, too, but at the beach closer to the house. I told no one about my little outing to my old house, not even Cassidy, who was going to be very mad when I finally told her. Understanding, but mad all the same. We had to make up first, though.

I had waited until Georgia and Claire had finished to talk, or else Georgia would have killed me that I managed to escape without her intense police level inquisition about my person life.

I had to admit, they did an awesome job. And it only took them until four. The carpets were cleaned and vacuumed, surfaces were washed and dusted until the sun reflected off of them and blinded anyone who dared to walk by, the windows had been drenched in Windex, all the sheets were cleaned, and Georgia had called the plumber and electrician, and everything was in working order. I figured I could just use my cell phone and bring my laptop; it wasn't worth it to pay for WiFi or phone service, unless I was permanently moving in. Which, when I thought about it, wasn't a bad idea. But then I realized I had to stop being selfish and look out for Jessica, or else Maria would tear her to shreds. Yes, she is that heartless.

So, I sat down to talk to Georgia while Claire was mowing the lawn and tending to the gardens in the back before the sun set. I told her everything, about Mom's marriage, my Tanner issues, Dad's death, and my bff problems. And all she said when I was done was, "Well, you've got yourself into quite the mess," and patted my hand.

I stared at her until she spoke again. "Look. You already know what you want me to say, but I'll say it anyway. You screwed up bad, and you need to fix it. Well, I don't know how you can fix your mother's rush marriage. But you can support her. And forget about that Tanner. Honestly, he sounds like an ass."

I smiled, problems momentarily forgotten.

"You can, however, fix your issues with Cassidy. You guys have been best friends for forever. Don't let some misunderstanding ruin that. And don't forget you were also at fault."

I groaned and put my head in my hands. "I hate being a teenager."

"At least you're not pregnant right now," Georgia pointed out.

I laughed. "Yeah."

Claire had come in, all done with the lawn, and I wrote both of them a check. Georgia had protested about the amount, but I refused to take it back. I would be forever grateful to both of them for how they have helped bring my childhood memories back to life.

I had hugged both of them good bye, and promised Georgia I would call and set up another time for her to come over and help with the house.

When they were gone, I had gone home, and stayed in my room, avoiding everyone for the rest of the night, except for Jess, who had come into my room after dinner and asked me to color. How could I resist coloring Dora?

Anyway, I was walking (by myself, I had not seen Cassidy to apologize and make up) when I saw the poster. It was a Lost and Found poster; bright blue, with bubble writing, advertising a charm bracelet had been found on the beach over the weekend and someone was trying to find the owner.

I had walked past it at first, not giving it a second glance, but the picture of the bracelet made me stop. The charms were blurred, but the outline could be seen if you squinted.

I gasped. The charms were the same as mine! Wait a minute…That was the same anklet that I had! I looked down at my ankle to make sure they weren't the same, there could have been two of these made, but there was nothing there. Shit.

I ran to the cafeteria, or at least tried to. I ran into someone going through the doors.

I looked up and Cassidy was standing in front of me.

"Are you okay?" she asked, looking at my face.

I shook my head. "No, I've been a terrible friend. I'm so so so sorry. I didn't mean anything that I said yesterday I was in a bad mood and I should never have opened my fat mouth. Forgive me?"

Cassidy smiled weakly. "No, _I'm_ the one who should be apologizing. And I would have said it earlier but I had an orthodontist appointment and I just came to school. I was acting like a brat yesterday, and I didn't mean anything _I_ said. But you were right about me. I don't know how it feels. You are not selfish and you don't treat me like an inconvenience. So I'm sorry. Friends?"

"No. _Best_ friends."

We smiled and hugged, then she led me by the arm to a secluded table in the cafeteria.

"So. What's up with you?"

"I've lost it," I whispered, pulling at my hair. Cassidy reached over and gently pried my hands away.

"Clearly," she said.

"No, I'm serious," I said. "My anklet is gone."

Cassidy's teasing expression turned into a frown. "What? The one your dad gave you? How could it be gone? You keep it with you at all times."

"That's what I thought, too," I said wryly. "I've given up the habit of checking it every few hours to make sure it's still there, because I thought the same thing you did- it couldn't leave, it would just drop into my shoe if the clasp broke. So I didn't notice it was missing until about five minutes ago, when I saw the poster."

My friend gasped. "That was your anklet?"

I nodded grimly. "And I don't know how or where I lost it. And the only thing I do know is that some random person in this school found it and is looking for its owner. So if you will excuse me I am going to ask around to see who put up those posters."

Cassidy reached across the table and yanked me back down into my seat. I yelped. "Hey!"

"Hey nothing. What if the person that found your bracelet is the janitor's second cousin, or a student's uncle or a teacher's spouse? They may not even go to this school."

Hearing her say this made my heart sink. "But someone would have seen someone put them up, and know who did it. I will not give up, Cass. This was important to me, and I _will_ get it back."

Cassidy smiled. "I don't doubt it. Now let's go find this jewelry."

I smiled back at her, and our best friend telepathy took over. My eyes said _You're such a great friend_. I could tell by Cassidy's slightly smug smile that she was telling me _Yeah, I know._

We walked towards the door of the cafeteria arm in arm, and we were about to step into the hallway when a voice made us stop.

"Yes, ladies, ladies, one at a time! There is no possible way all of you lost the same bracelet, so step back, _please_!"

We turned as one to discover Tanner, sitting at a lunch table with a few of his football buddies on either side of him, and dozens of girls surrounding the table. All of them were trying to push closer to the table, and incidentally closer to Tanner.

I turned and faced Cassidy, who was glaring at the table.

"Oh no," I whispered. "Tanner was the one that found my bracelet!"

Cassidy gulped, then nodded. "What are you going to do?" she whispered back.

"Nothing. I cannot face him again. The bracelet is…" I swallowed, regretting the next words that were coming out of my mouth, "not that important. I cannot talk to him so soon. He will try and…I don't know, but nothing good can come out of it."

"So what now?"

"Let's just wait and see what happens," I said. "After all, none of these girls know what the bracelet really is or what features are on it."

"But he put a picture on the poster," Cassidy pointed out. She pulled a flyer out of her backpack. "They handed them out at the door," she explained, in reaction to my accusing glare.

"Yes. _But_, he blurred out the charms, presumably so he could find the right owner and not hand off this expensive piece of jewelry to some slut that's just trying to claim it's hers so she can interact with Tanner and later sell it on eBay for a small fortune," I pointed out. Cassidy brought the poster close to her face, nodding.

"Ok. I'll give you that."

We turned our attention to the 'popular table'. The girls now stood in an orderly line, thanks to the football team, who was roughly pushing them into place, grumbling among themselves. Girls who had any common sense at all rushed to get into line before the guys could manhandle them into it. Tanner was interviewing the girls one by one, and the others waiting strained to hear what he was asking her, so they could have a shot getting the questions right.

One girl, though, was not interested in this soiree, and wasn't attempting to hide her distaste at the scene in front of her. She was leaning casually against a support pillar a couple of yards away from where everyone was, her arms were crossed, and she had a scowl on her face.

When she turned to look at the clock on the wall above our heads, I rolled my eyes. Of course, Maria would be the only girl in this school with a blasé attitude about this whole ordeal.

Obviously I knew about their breakup. Maria had come storming in the house shortly after I got back, kicking and screaming about what an ass Tanner was.

But she was pretending she didn't care, and I knew that was not the truth. The light had been on in her room when I got up to go to the bathroom that night, and based on how much I knew she worshiped the religion of beauty sleep and a good night's rest, I knew something had to be wrong. When I pressed my ear to the door, I could hear sobs, and a romantic comedy movie playing softly. The next morning, as I was packing a lunch to take to the beach, I realized that all the Chunky Monkey was gone.

I had felt some pity, but not much, knowing full well she deserved it. Of course, when this morning had come, and it had been time to go to school, Maria acted like the split was Tanner's fault, and she had broken up with him, not the other way around. By second period, a nasty rumor was circulating throughout the senior class that Maria had walked in on Tanner sleeping with a local stripper, which of course made me laugh, and Tanner deal with dirty looks and haters every time he walked to a class. Which also gave me some satisfaction. Overall, this breakup had made my day.

By the time the bell signaling the end of lunch had rung and kids were making their way to their next class, Tanner had gotten through maybe ten or eleven girls, and still had many to go. His head rested in his hands, and all but one of his friends had left him. I knew from what others said that the remaining guy was a total perv, so he was probably just staying for the chicks.

"You know," Cassidy said, "I actually am starting to feel bad for him. Poor guy, all the girls just want to talk with him and he's actually caring enough to find the real owner of the anklet."

"Do not-"

"I know, I know, feel sorry for him," Cassidy finished. "I just can't help it. He's an ass, but a caring one at that."

I laughed. "C'mon, we're gonna be late."

We got up from the table, but as we mall walked to the door to get to our classes, I felt eyes on me.

I glanced over my shoulder. Tanner was watching me, sadness, regret, and something else I could not identify in his eyes. I turned around and mentally shook my head. I had an anklet to find and class to attend. Time to focus.

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Review review review! haha new chapter out soon :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

When I got home after school, the she-devil was waiting for me. I rolled my eyes and tried to push past her, but she stood her ground.

"We need to talk."

"Um, no we don't. I need to get my homework done so I can catch a few waves before it gets dark," I retorted, crossing my arms.

"Um, yes we do. Let's get this over with. I've got a date."

"Already?" I looked surprised.

"Yes." Maria looked offended. "He has been pestering me for months and now that I am single and lovin' it, I figured I'd give in to his begging. Gawd, being me is _so_ hard."

That made me huff in annoyance. "What do you want, Maria?"

"Oh nothing." She moved closer to me. I lifted my foot to back up, but she grabbed my arm to stop me. "I know about your little plan," she hissed in my ear.

I cringed. "What _plan_?"

"I'm not sure of all the dirty details. Yet. But what I do know is that you planted that piece of jewelry somewhere where you knew Tanner would find it and you know he's honest enough to try and find it's rightful owner," she added in disgust. "You want him back, and this bracelet is the perfect way to do it."

I swear I detected a trace of wistfulness in her voice, but I was too mad to really think about it. "If you were really so smart, you would know that it's an _anklet_, not a _bracelet_. And you would also know that it's too important to me to let some skank like Tanner even go near it. That comment leads to this: why would I want Tanner back? For all I care, you can have him. Oh wait! He broke up with you because he saw who you really were: a dirty, slimy, manipulative bitch."

I threw my arm down quickly, giving me the element of surprise, and causing Maria to let go of my arm. I stormed past her and into my room, where I slammed the door so hard it rattled the walls.

* * *

"That brat!"

I was talking to Cassidy via Bluetooth on my way to my old house to surf for a few hours before dinner.

"I know right? I couldn't believe her nerve, getting in my face like that!" I said, swerving to avoid a dead animal in the road.

"Exactly what I was thinking. So what did you get for number four on the science homework?"

I smiled. Cassidy knew precisely when I had had enough of talking about something and needed a subject change before I blew up.

"Um I haven't done that yet," I said sheepishly. "I did everything but that so I could fit in surfing before my mom would flip that I'm not home before dinner."

I heard laughing on the other end. "Of course. I'll make you a deal. I'll give you science tonight if you give me Lit."

I agreed, and hung up right as I was pulling into the driveway.

When I got inside and put all my stuff down, I sat on the kitchen counter, breathing in the smell of cleaning solution and sea air.

After a few minutes of just sitting there, I pulled out my cell phone and called my mom.

"Hey Mom, can I go over to Cassidy's for dinner? They are having lasagna," I said, when my mom answered her cell.

"Um, sure, but we were going to have a nice family dinner tonight. Jay was going to make burgers and Maria was making fruit salad and her signature lemon bars that I love so much."

My breathing grew shallow. I was always the cook in our family. Mom loved my lemon bars, from scratch, and not the crappy out-of-the-box kind Maria made. She never let anyone else but me make dinner because it was our tradition. Ever since I was twelve and had gotten obsessed with _the Food Network_, I made dinners for the family, and we had depended on that tradition to keep us going after Dad died.

"Mom, I can't take much more of _your_ family. And I'm not sure exactly what your family is having, but _mine_ is having lasagna." I hung up, tears in my eyes.

After I could talk without crying, I dialed Cassidy and told her my situation. I was originally going to eat here by myself, and use eating at Cassidy's as my alibi, but I needed my friend now, so I invited her over to eat with me.

She talked with her parents, and since they knew how tough my family life was going right now, they actually agreed to cover for me while Cassidy was here with me.

Someone knocked on the door fifteen minutes later.

"Come in!" I called.

Cassidy walked in holding a platter with chocolate chip cookies and a duffel bag. "I told my parents you were supposedly sleeping over at my place and that I would be staying with you here."

"You are the best!" I said, taking the plate from her.

She smiled. "Need any help?" she asked.

"Nah, I got it. I went to the little convenience store down the street after I called you and stocked up the fridge with stuff I need for dinner, and stuff that is good to have around."

"So what are we having?" Cassidy went over to the table and sat down.

I grinned. "Lasagna."

An hour later, I was sitting on a towel on the beach with Cassidy, the lasagna in the oven and salad and bread waiting in the fridge.

She had borrowed the extra bathing suit I always keep handy in my bag of surf stuff and I was wearing my wet suit.

She leaned over and nudged me. "Go ahead, I know you want to. You won't be a bad friend if you leave me here for a few minutes. Go!"

I was tempted to point out that if I went out in the water, I would want to stay in there longer than a few minutes, but I got up without comment, grateful that someone as awesome as Cassidy would be my friend.

When I finally dragged my unwilling body back to shore, Cassidy was nowhere in sight. Our stuff was gone, too.

Panicked she had gotten a better offer and left, I ran up the stairs, not even caring if my board got banged up on the side of the cliff or the railing.

I reached the top huffing and puffing. I looked around and gasped. Cassidy had found a picnic blanket and had laid it out a few yards from the fence on the edge of the cliff. A relaxation therapy candle was lit and flickering gently next to the blanket. A bottle of sparkling cider lay next to plates filled with steaming lasagna, salad, and garlic bread. Cassidy's platter of cookies completed the ensemble.

"What do you think? Awesome, right?" I turned to find Cassidy standing in the back doorway of the house. She had changed out of the bathing suit and wore jean shorts and an off-the-shoulder t-shirt for an old 80s band. Her feet were bare, but sand free. I was jealous.

"Um, yeah! Did you do all of this?" I asked, not wanting to get close to the picnic setup for fear that I would drip salty seawater all over it, but needing to admire it all the same.

"Yeah. I figured you would be too busy surfing in your own little world to notice I was gone, and apparently I was right. Besides, the lasagna needed looking after. Oh, and someone named Georgia called wanting to know details about the cleaning. I told her you would call back tomorrow. Now go get changed so we can eat. Shower first," she added, looking at my dripping hair and sandy feet.

I laughed. "Ok. Then we can make a super cool spy plan for how I am going to sneak into the house to get my backpack and a bag of clothes so I don't have to wear the same outfit to school tomorrow. That would be gross." I deposited my board on the grass in front of the door and went inside to shower and get rid of the seas smell.

"Yeah I hope you don't mind but I used your shower to get all the sand off of me."

"Definitely not," I said, wishing I had all the sand off of me right now. It was starting to burn. "Got anything I can wear?"

"Sure. I think I have two extra outfits in my duffel. I did a little exploring and put my bag in what I think is the guest room."

"Is it blue?"

"No…"

"Then it's not the guest room. The guest room is a sea blue with a dolphin mural on the wall."

"Oh. It's beige with a gold comforter and pillows. Lots of them," Cassidy told me, moving out of the way so I could come in.

"That is my parent's old room. Mine is the one across the hall."

"That's your room?" She stifled a laugh.

"Don't tease," I said, hotly. "I loved rainbows and fairies when I was little."

"I swear your room was not like that when we were little," Cassidy pointed out as I walked towards the bathroom, grateful that Georgia had turned the water on when she was here.

"It was a tenth birthday present," I joked over my shoulder.

Half an hour later, I walked outside in sandals and an outfit I would normally never be caught dead in.

It was a lavender sundress, with thick straps and tight bodice that loosened at my navel and flowed down to mid-thigh.

"Really?" I said, sitting down besides Cassidy, who was nibbling on a piece of bread.

She laughed. "There was other stuff in the pocket. But I was hoping you would just toss on the first outfit you picked."

I groaned and reached for my plate, almost burning my fingers on it, since Cassidy had obviously reheated the food so it would be warm when I got back from the shower.

The sun was setting, and the horizon sported a pink, purple, and orange-ish tint, while at the same time, the early risen moon cast a light shadow on the top of the cliff. The flickering candle was the only thing that allowed us to see. It was peaceful.

"So…" Cassidy began, picking at her salad. "While you were showering, I thought up an idea for you to go home."

"Spill!" I said, turning to face her.

"Okay, but I don't know how good it is." She lowered her voice and told me her plan.

Fifteen minutes later, we had cleaned up from dinner and Cassidy had found herself some shoes. I had traded in my sandals for flats that were shoved in the side pocket of her duffel, as well as put on some spandex. If I was going to be climbing through windows or some other super spy move, I did not want the neighbors to catch a glimpse of my pink Victoria's Secret boy shorts in the process.

Cassidy and I got into my car. We had decided even though it was flashier, it would be quieter and be able to hold my bags easier than her bike.

When we got to my house, I cruised past it and parked at the end of the street while Cassidy went over the plan one more time. When I drove past, the lights on the back of the house were on, which meant that they were probably still eating in the backyard, which was good for me. Cassidy would be waiting at the gate to the backyard, looking through a hole in the wood that would let her see what was going on. If she saw anyone go into the house, she would speed dial my number. I had my phone on vibrate and when I got her call, I would either hide in the closet until the threat was gone or jump out of my window and hope to land in the pool and not the deck or bushes. Haha yeah right. Option number one was definitely the safest, but Cassidy was all for a back up plan.

Anyways, I was going to go in the front door. Flashing my crotch (even though it was covered by spandex) was not an appealing idea, so I would not be going in through a window. I crept up into my room, stopping in the bathroom to wave to Cassidy out the window, signaling all was going as planned. I felt like one of Charlie's angels, this was such a rush!

When I got into my room, I shut the door behind me and got a duffel bag out of my closet. I was in a hurry, every creak of the house made my heart race. I just randomly yanked clothes out of my dresser and closet and into the bag. I tossed an extra pair of sneaker, flip flops, and slippers into the bag, added two swim suits, pjs, extra toiletries I kept for trips, and some of the extra cash I had lying in my desk on top of the clothes and was about to open the door and leave when my phone buzzed on my spandex waistband.

"Crap, crap, crap," I muttered. I tossed my bag into the already open closet, shut the closet and crouched down in the corner, covering myself with shoes and clothes that were littering the floor, just in case that someone inside the house decided to snoop.

My phone buzzed again. It must have been an emergency; Cassidy and I had not discussed calling twice.

"What?" I hissed into the phone, trying to move a high heel out of my nose as I brought the phone to my ear.

"They're gone."

"_What?_" I said, a little louder this time. "Why are they all inside; how am I going to get out of the house?"

"No! _No._" They left as in, they drove away. They were going to get ice cream, or at least that is what they were discussing."

"Don't scare me like that!" I said. "This needed to be a better thought out plan."

"Does the fact that you are hiding in a closet under dirty clothes have anything to do with that statement?" she asked.

I pushed away the mound of clothes on top of me to find Cassidy grinning down at me.

"When you didn't answer, I came in," she said, reaching down to help me up.

I pulled my bag out from the closet, relieved that I had enough time to find clothes that matched.

Ten minutes later, Cassidy and I were whooping and hollering with the top down on our way back to the house. Our mission had been a success.

* * *

A/N- Hope you liked it, sorry it was so long, but i had to find a good stopping point. Don't forget, if you read it, you have to review! ;)


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

I had unloaded the clothes into the drawers in my room and was feeling relaxed. But I really would have to change my room, seeing as I was no longer obsessed with rainbows and ponies. I had realized this as I came face to face with an old collection of My Little Ponies when I opened my closet.

"Ellie!"

"Huh?"

"There seems to be a…um...visitor in my room."

I walk into her room and stop. She is standing on the bed and a little mouse is sitting next to the door, a crumb in its two front paws.

"Aw, Cass, it's just a mouse!"

"_Just_ a mouse? They are _nasty_."

"Oh, stop. Wait a sec." I bent down for a closer look, being careful not to scare it.

"This isn't a wild rodent. It looks like it was… No way!"

"What?" Cassidy said cautiously. "It's not rabid is it?"

I laughed. "Nope. This looks like the offspring of the mice I had when I lived here!"

"Minnie and Mickey?" I had not been very creative in naming my pets.

"Yes. See it has the same weird marking as them? I remember losing them in the move, but I never expected them to have babies and for those babies to have babies and-"

"I get it. But it's still creepy. Throw it outside!" Cassidy said, inching even further away on the bed."

"No way! I'm keeping him. Her?" I retreated into the front closet and was relieved to find out my parents had not thrown away my old cage.

I went to pantry and got some napkins, tore them up, and put them in the bottom of the cage. I got out some of the left over lasagna cheese from the fridge, and went back to the bedroom.

After a few minutes of prodding, the mouse followed the strategically planted cheese into the cage, and with a sigh of relief, Cassidy hopped off the bed.

"God." She shuddered. "I hate mice."

"Cool. Look after it, will you? I'm going to the pet store."

"Are you crazy? It's nine at night, the store will be closed!"

"No it won't, " I said over my shoulder as I went out the door.

Before I shut it, I heard Cassidy talk to the mouse. "Well, I guess it's just you and me, pal. You better watch yourself."

I smiled and got into my car.

* * *

"Get. Up!" I said, hitting Cassidy with a pillow for like, the tenth time since her alarm went off.

"Mshmeguff," Cassidy mumbled, and turned over, covering her face with her pillow.

"What?" I paused, the pillow inches from her head.

She pulled the pillow away from her face. "I said, get the hell off of me!"

"I don't think so," I said, and went in for another hit.

"Okay! I surrender!" she squealed, rolling away from the incoming pillow, and incidentally, off the bed. "Oww…." came the muffled reply from the other side of the bed.

I laughed. "It's your own damn fault. And by the way, you are not going to have enough time to fix your hair before we go to school."

Her head popped up from behind the bed. "What? No, that is not possible, I set the alarm for seven thirty." She looked at the digital clock, which now read quarter to eight.

"Yes. I have been whacking you for the past fifteen minutes. Your stupid alarm woke me up. That and Pluto knocking his food bowl over."

I had gotten everything I needed for the mouse last night, and had come to Cassidy fast asleep in her bed, and the mouse on my bed, still in the cage, thank god. I had only been gone twenty minutes, but Cassidy couldn't even watch my mouse that long. Another reason I was hitting her with a fluffy object. I would have hit her with a harder object, say a sledgehammer or flower pot, but I was pretty sure that would have put me in jail, and I have enough on my plate without a criminal record, thank you very much.

"Pluto? You seriously named your mouse after Mickey's dog? Isn't that a little ironic?"

"That's the point," I sighed. "Now get ready so we can go to school. _On time_. I made pancakes last night while you were snoring and _not_ watching my mouse like I asked you to, so we can heat them up for breakfast."

"Ew. I hate microwaved pancakes."

"Well," I said, drawing out the word, "there is always the leftover lasagna."

"Pancakes it is," she said cheerfully.

"Thought so," I said under my breath as I walked out of the room.

Twenty minutes later, the clock was ticking, and we were speeding to school. Well, I was. I had left Cassidy at the house to finish her pancakes with the promise that she would clean up behind her and lock the door on her way out.

I didn't see her until in between 3rd and 4th period. "Where have you been?" I hissed, pulling her to the side of the hallway to avoid the crowd and eavesdroppers.

"It took me a while to finish my pancakes!" she insisted, twisting her hair around her index finger, something she only does when she gets nervous.

"Liar." I caught her finger mid-twirl and held it tight.

"Ow!" she said, trying to pull her finger away. I wouldn't budge.

"Okay, so I ran into someone driving by your house and had to take the long way to school. I ended up getting lost."

I could tell she was telling the truth, so I let her go.

"Who did you run into?" I asked, leaning against the locker behind me.

"Um, no one," she said, turning to go to class.

"I don't think so," I said, grabbing onto her bag and swinging her around. "C'mon, Cass, tell me who it was!" I tried to sound fierce, but my voice came out more whiny than scary.

"Nope," she said, and this time, she yanked her backpack out of my grip and hurried to class.

Something was up. And I had to figure out what it was.

At lunch, Tanner was still trying to figure out who the bracelet belonged to, and my step-sister was still watching with disdain as she picked at her salad.

"This is annoying. She really needs to get over him," I said, as I slid into a seat at our regular table. "Damn," I muttered, when I saw Maria glance at me, then get up out of her seat.

"Heyy Maria!" I glanced at Cass out of the corner of my eye. Was she crazy?

Maria nodded in her direction. "Ellie's friend."

Cassidy scowled and made faces behind Maria's back as she turned to face me.

"So, I was thinking last night, and I realized we needed to talk."

"Again? Honestly, Maria I don't know how much more of this sisterly bonding I can take," I said, exasperated. I heard Cassidy snort.

"Okay, fine. More like come to an agreement. Do not even think of telling Tanner that bracelet is yours or you will find yourself in an even deeper hellhole than you are in now."

"Just one quick little question," I said, reaching under Maria's arm to snag a fry off of Cassidy's plate. "Why on earth would I do _that_? Do you really think I want him to like me? Again? I just want my anklet back. So how about you go up there and do it for me? It's a win-win. I get my anklet and you get Tanner again."

Maria paused, and I could tell she had not thought of this option. "No. That would make me look weak, like I am desperate to have him back."

"Well you are," Cassidy put in.

"Maria, please. It wouldn't make you look pathetic. Trust me. You are the most powerful person in this school and no one would even _dare_ think of you as weak," I said, lying through my teeth. But she bought it.

"You're right, oddly enough. And by the way," she said, getting up and walking away. "Don't ever speak of this again."

"Gladly," I called out. "What the hell was that about?" I asked Cassidy, who was watching Maria saunter towards Tanner.

"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure you just bonded."

"Great…" I said sourly.

We watched as Maria stood patiently in line.

"Why would she not just push all of the other girls out of the way?" Cassidy asked, popping a fry in her mouth.

"I think," I said, "and it's just a thought, but I'm _pretty_ sure she wants to show Tanner that she can change and she really _is_ a nice person. Not that that is true, but it's what she wants him to think." I chewed thoughtfully, and noticed Cass was staring at me. "What?" I said self-consciously.

"You and Maria are acting like sisters!" She laughed. "You can talk about stuff and you know what the other is doing! This is so _cool_!"

"Cass, if you ever do that I again I will rip you apart," I growled.

She became quiet and we looked at Maria again. She was talking to Tanner. He was not shooing her away, but listening intently as she rambled, making various motions with her hands. A few seconds passed when she stopped talking, and Tanner reached into his back pocket, pulled out my anklet, and handed it to Maria.

"My anklet!" I whispered. "She did it!"

But instead of coming over to give it to me, Maria sashayed out of the lunchroom, without even glancing in my direction.

"Yeah, did it for herself," Cassidy said, reaching across the table to pat me on the shoulder.

"I'm real sorry Ellie," she said.

"It doesn't matter. I was tricked. You know, fool me once, shame on me, and all that crap." I stood up. "Come on. I cannot wait for school to end so I can give Maria a piece of my mind."

* * *

"I cannot believe you would do that to me!" I screamed.

"Ow. Ow, ow, _ow_! Let go you crazy!"

"We had a _deal_!" I said, tugging on her hair.

"Get off!"

I had to admit, we were making quite a scene, which was why I had been patient enough to wait until we were both in the door of the house and had put our bags down before I jumped her. Literally. I was on her back, my legs wrapped around her waist, and her hair wrapped through my fingers. She was bent over, even though I am super skinny at 110 pounds (thank you, surfing) and she was trying to shake me off by ramming my protruding butt into the kitchen counter.

It hurt like hell, but I was not going to give up without a fight. I knew I would regret it later, when I had purple and blue bruises along my spinal cord and gludius maximus.

"That is _it_!" Maria shouted, and in one smooth move, I was on the floor, looking up into her furious eyes.

"How'd you do that?" I asked, a bit woozy. I shook my head to try and get rid of the stars and little birdies clogging up my brain.

"When you're as hot as me, you have to learn how to defend yourself against perverts. I just never thought I'd have to use it on my own _sister_," she said, leaning against the counter, looking like she should pull out a nail file and start humming innocently while doing her nails.

"So this is my fault?" I ask her, incredulously.

"Um, yeah, pretty much."

"You were the one that weaseled out of our deal!"

"I didn't do any weaseling!"

"Oh yeah? Where is my anklet?"

"On your bed."

I sat up. "Say what?"

"Hold on, hold on, _hold on_. Is that why you attacked me? You jumped to conclusions and assumed since I was normally a total bitch I wouldn't keep my promise?"

"Pretty much, yeah," I said, mimicking her.

"Let's get one thing straight," she said menacingly, moving from her position against the counter to stand right in front of me. "I _never_ break a promise. I may be a bitch and I am horrible to people. But I keep my word."

I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the house.

Later, I went to go start on my homework before Jay or Mom got home with Jess, and I opened the door to my bedroom on the way to the study. On my pillow lay a gift box wrapped in metallic paper.

* * *

A/N- read and review!


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

I had just begun a grueling chapter in my math textbook when my mom came home. How do I know when she got home? Because the yelling started.

"I cannot believe you would just leave like that! Do you have any _idea_ how worried I was? I didn't know where you were, I was going to go pick you up from Cassidy's house after you had a chance to cool off and go for a walk on the beach, but when I showed up, her parents made up some BS story about you two going out for dessert! And how about your attitude on the phone? That was not acceptable! You can believe you are going to be grounded until graduation _at least_!" And trust me, she kept going, but I got bored and tuned out.

Eventually she stopped, whether to take a breath or because she was done, I'll never know, but I took either way I took it as my cue to start talking. And because I was _so_ not in the mood to argue, I said the first thing that came to my mind. And I didn't regret it until later. And by later, I mean a few minutes.

"Are you done?" I asked coolly, still reading.

"Excuse me?" she asked, moving from against the doorframe to stand in front of me, hands on her hips and her face morphed into a menacing glare.

"Are you done? I have homework to do, and no offensive, but you and your voice are kind of distracting," I commented, not even realizing what was coming out of my mouth.

"Elizabeth, I am _very_ disappointed with you. Ever since you have started surfing again, you have turned into some kind of monster. I don't even know who you are anymore. I think it's your father's influence on you. He was like this when he got too obsessed with surfing." She sniffed disdainfully.

That made me lose it. She could diss me all she wanted, but no way in hell would she diss my dad. "Me? You really want to talk about my mistakes? Ever since you married Jay you have been acting snooty. You don't even pay attention to your own kid anymore. Did you know that Maria is a total bitch to me? And that Jess is getting bullied at school?" I was on a role now; I couldn't stop. "You ignore me and you don't even realize that I am gone half the time. Oh, and by the way, I have a pet mouse." I said the last part matter-of-factly, like there wasn't a thing in the world that could stop me from having a mouse.

When I was done, it was silent for a whole minute. Then, she slapped me. Honest to God, slap-me-across-the-face-so-hard-that-welts-pop-up-immediately-and-you-know-you-will-have-a-bruise-tomorrow slap. She has never hit me before in my life. She has threatened to before, but only since Jay moved it, and he made it known he was not unopposed to physically punishing his kids.

My face flew sideways from the impact. But I didn't make a sound. I didn't even flinch. All I did was raise a hand to my face to feel a bump swelling rapidly. And then the tears came. But they weren't from me.

We both turned at the sound of someone crying, only to find Jessica standing in the doorway. When she noticed we saw her, she ran to me and gave me a hug.

"Don't hurt her!" she cried.

It gave me satisfaction when I saw the chagrined and horrified look on my mother's face.

"What have I done?" she whispered, terrified. She fled the room, and I just sat there on my bed, rocking the still-crying Jessica until we both fell asleep.

* * *

When I woke, it was dark, and the house was quiet. I looked at the clock, startled to realize I had slept for over six hours already. Jess was snoring softly against my chest, but when I carried her to her bed, she pitched a fit. I quickly covered her mouth to prevent her cries from waking up anyone else.

"Shh, it's okay," I said, setting her down on her bed, and starting to pull of her socks and shoes to put her into her pajamas.

"But Mommy hit you! Daddy says hitting is bad," she whispered.

"It is. Mommy wasn't thinking. But it's okay. I'm just going to go away for a while," I whispered back.

"Can I come?" she asked, putting on the pajamas I held out to her.

It broke my heart when she said this. "No, Jess, you have to stay here. But I will call you as much as I can, I promise."

I hugged her and tucked her in, and within seconds she was snoring again. "Goodbye, Jess," I said to no one in particular, and I crept out of her bedroom.

True to my word, my room was empty of everything except for my furniture when my worried mother peeked in my room on her way to work early the next morning.

* * *

"I cannot believe you sometimes," Cass said, her mouth full of lettuce and croutons. It was lunchtime (I know all the big gossip happens in the cafeteria, but really, do you think our teachers would let us talk this much in class?) and I had just told my best friend that I had permanently moved away.

"I know. I can't believe myself either. But now that I'm away from it all, I have a clear enough head to realize it was the right thing to do."

"Well what are you going to do? Oh, I know! I could stay with you! I would pay your rent and everything, just so you don't get lonely…" Cassidy started rambling excitedly.  
"Cass!" I interjected, before she got too carried away. "That's awesome for you to say that, but you don't have to leave your parents for me. They love you. Honestly, I've always been jealous of what you guys shared," I admitted. "But, that would not be fair of me to ask that of you or your parents. You're welcome to stay on weekends though," I said hurriedly, seeing my best friend's face falling.

We stopped conversation to eat, which was when I remembered that I had promised to call Jessica today. I sighed, and looked around the cafeteria, and quickly found who I was looking for.

Believe it or not, Maria was not a hard person to spot in a crowd. It's not like she was super tall or wore ridiculous clothing, but she had an air about her that screamed power, control, and authority.

Today, though, she was wearing clothes that stood out, which helped me find her. She wore a bright green sundress with silver gladiator sandals and had a silver scrunchie in her hair. I stood up to go talk to her, but stopped when I saw who she was talking to. I took a deep breath. _Relax, Ellie. Just suck it up and deal with it already_, I told myself.

I started walking again. By then, Cassidy had caught on to what I was doing.

"What are you doing? Where are you going? Don't even think about- ugh, Ellie, it's your own funeral," she said, starting to come with me, but thinking better of it, sat back down and resumed munching on her food and staring at me like I was one of her favorite sitcoms.

I walked up to where Maria was chatting happily with Tanner.

"Excuse me," I said to Maria when I approached. She glanced at me and her eyes narrowed a bit. "I'm here to talk to you," I said, putting emphasis on the word _you_ so she wouldn't think I was here to steal Tanner.

Her face immediately warmed. "Shoot," she said, tossing her hair over her shoulder and turning away from Tanner to face me.

Wow, she was acting like I was more important than him! But then I remembered it was one of her tricks. Act like she wasn't that interested in talking to him, and he will try harder to keep her attention next time.

I saw over Maria's shoulder that Tanner was eyeing me with keen interest. I ignored his stare and turned my attention back to my stepsister.

"I need your help after school. Can you wait for me out front? I want to call home; I promised Jess, but if Mom sees my number, she'll, I don't know, do something both of us will regret. All I need is for you to get Jess on the phone. Please?"

_Don't look at him, don't look at him, don't look at him…_

"I guess. Oh, speaking of Mom, she was not happy this morning. In fact, she is frantic." Maria grinned, and I felt the atmosphere change. I felt respect coming off of her. She respected me for the risk that I took. I jumped off the cliff, but landed in a soft cloud instead of the rocky sea below.

"I thought she would be." I smiled back. "But I can almost guarantee that she will not find me."

"That's good. And meet me by the doors. And if you're not there when I am, I'm leaving."

"Deal." And I walked away, without looking at Tanner, which took all the willpower I had.

As I walked, I heard their conversation resume.

"What was that all about?" Tanner asked Maria.

"Oh, nothing. She ran away from home last night, is all," she replied, sounding like it was no big.

"Really? Why…? Never mind, I probably don't want to know. But what was the friendly exchange? You guys hate each other!" he said, laughing.

"Not really. We came to an…agreement. I realized she didn't have any interest in you, and she realized I wanted you, so she gave up the dibs she automatically had when you kissed her," she said casually, yet firmly, subtly reminding him to pay attention to her and not me.

I laughed quietly and hurried to my seat.

* * *

After school, I sat down on a bench in front of the school, and listened to the seagulls as I waited for Maria. And waited. And waited.

I was about to leave when Maria came running out of the doors, papers and book bag flying as she shoved the doors out of her way.

"Sorry," she panted breathlessly as she skidded to a stop in front of me. "Some teacher tried to give me crap for failing a test so I had to set him straight." I was about to make a rude comment, but stopped myself when I saw she had already pulled out her phone and dialed home.

"Hello? Yeah, it's Maria. No, I didn't see her today. But I got a friend to check the office and the attendance records said she was here," she said, glancing at me. I sighed in relief.

I waved my hand to tell her to hurry it up. I had to go and feed my mouse.

She gave me the finger and I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, um can you put Jessica on the phone, please? I have to ask her a question, I'm going shopping and I want to know if she wants anything…" she trailed off and handed the phone to me.

I heard Jessica answer the phone. "Hey Jess, it's Ellie. I just wanted to let you know that I'm okay and that I love you."

"Will you come home, now?" she asked, starting to cough.

"No, not yet honey, but I'll visit soon, okay?"

"Okay…" she said.

"I have to go now, but be nice to Maria, okay? Bye!" I said, hanging up and giving the phone back to Maria. "Thanks," I said, and meaning it.

"Don't mention it. Seriously, don't." She gave me a small smile and walked away to her car.

I shook my head as she pulled out of the parking lot, wondering what in the world happened to my evil stepsister.

* * *

A/N- come on guys review pleaseeeee!


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

I was halfway home when my cell phone rang. I pulled over and glanced at the screen. It was Maria.

"What?" I asked.

"I have a question."

"_What_?" I asked again, peeved that she had interrupted me just to ask me a question. But what she said next made me glad I had pulled over and answered.

"Tanner and I were talking at lunch and I had asked him where he found the anklet. He told me a story and all these extra detail I didn't ask for, but I found one part interesting. He said it all started right after he, you know, dumped me. He was just sitting there when he saw this girl surfing in the water. And he said she was gorgeous, of what he could see, since she was wearing a hat, and she was an excellent surfer. He was really upset about something, he said he couldn't see the board so he couldn't tell who it was, or something silly like that," she said.

But I didn't find it silly at all. Ever since I knew Tanner, he had been good with identifying people and remembering the ones he met, because down where we lived, where the serious surfers where, everyone usually had a custom-made board, so he could tell who was who, even way out in the water sometimes.

"Go on," I said to Maria.

"Well, anyways, he got really mad, because when she came in, she was on your old property, he said. I didn't even know you guys lived anywhere else…But anyways, he told me she waved, and then he chased after her to tell her she was on someone else's private property, and that was when he found the anklet. I was wondering if you knew anything about people surfing near your old house. I mean, if you went there anymore. But he wanted me to pass along the message to you, so you could do something about it, and keep your eyes open."

I was staring blankly out the front window of my car. Crap. Crap, crap, crap. I had dropped my anklet when I got up on shore and ran up the stairs. The clasp must have come undone. And the sun was shining in my eyes, so I couldn't tell who I was waving too; I was just being friendly! Oh man.

'Wait, did he say he didn't know who the person was?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said wistfully. "But it was weird. What was your anklet doing there?"

"Um," I said. "You see, here's the thing. I have been going down there to surf, since it has better waves, and I got someone to come and clean up the house, and now that is where I'm living now," I said, in one big breath.

"Wow," was all Maria could say. "You are one lucky girl to have your own place like that."

"Wait, Maria, you can't say anything though, to Tanner or my family. I doubt my mom even remembers the address, but just in case, I don't want her finding me! And if you tell Tanner, he'll know I'm staying there again."

"I don't know…" she said coyly. "This is a wicked secret."

"If you tell Tanner, he will know that the anklet wasn't yours and you lied just to get him back and then he'll know it was me surfing, and then, I don't know, but it will be bound to ruin your relationship," I said, thinking fast. It definitely was not easy to blackmail my sister.

"Touché," she said. "Well played, Ellie. I'll keep quiet. For now."

I sighed in relief. We said our goodbyes, and I was on my way again, not paying attention to the road, but mulling over everything Maria had just laid on me.

* * *

I had fed my mouse. I had made arrangements for Georgia to come over every Friday and clean. I had spent time putting away my clothes and setting up various stuff like my books, beanbag chair, and surfing stuff I brought from home. I counted my money and calculated how much money I had in debit and gift cards. And I had spent a few hours making meals and putting them in the freezer.

It was past ten, and I was exhausted. I had managed to sneak a few samples of various pasta and meat dishes (cooked of course) while I was making freezer foods, so I wasn't hungry. But I did feel the need to do some late-night surfing. The waves would be excellent tonight.

I stuck my head out the back door, and felt only a slight breeze. Summer was in the air, so it was still humid at night. I felt no need to get into a wetsuit, so I put on a simple bikini and some board shorts. I piled my hair on top of my head, because I mean, really, who would spot me?

I set a single gas lamp on the beach so I would not stray too far from the cliff. I knew, in my heart, it was dangerous to go out alone, but I didn't think about it until later.

I started out fine, I had just caught my first wave, and then I just lost it. I don't know if it was the lack of sleep or what, but the last thing I remember is hitting my head on the board as I passed out. And everything went black.

* * *

"Ellie! Ellie! Can you hear me? Answer me, please!"

I heard a voice in the distance, but it was very foggy and far away. I tried to answer the voice, but I could not seem to work my mouth to get the sound out. Besides, the place I was in now was nice and warm, cozy, almost.

"Oh, please, Ellie, look at me! Say something!" The voice was crying.

_Wait, don't cry, I'm okay_, I wanted to tell the voice. But I could not move. I could not speak. I felt a warm hand on my chest.

I summoned all of my energy and mumbled. But it didn't come out like it was supposed to. "Tanner," I said, whispering so quiet no one could hear me, no one answered me.

That was the last thing I remember.

When I regained consciousness again, the first thing that registered was the bright light. No matter how tight I squeezed my eyes, I could still see it.

I mumbled something incoherent. But I heard a voice respond this time.

"Doctor!" The voice was urgent. "She said something!"

I felt some pressure on my hand. "Squeeze back if you can hear me," said a calm, deep voice.

I tested my hands. I think I could move them. I squeezed as hard as I could, but to him it probably felt like a mere tap.

"Good. Now, Ellie, can you open your eyes?" I struggled to life my heavy eyelids.

"Why isn't she doing anything?" This time the voice was frantic. Who was this voice?

"Take your time, Ellie," he told me. To the voice, he said, "It might take her awhile. She took a nasty fall by the look of her wounds."

Wounds? What wounds?

No, don't worry about that, I told myself. Open your eyes. After a few seconds of struggle, they fluttered open. I heard someone clap once.

I blinked a few times and waited for the images I was seeing to become clear. I squinted, quite aware that the bright lights were coming from overhead. A doctor was standing next to me, and a girl was sitting in a chair across the room, twisting her hands and looking anxious. When she saw me looking at her, she smiled.

"Oh, thank goodness you are safe! When I saw you, I was worried sick! Maria was too, she's here, but she is getting some coffee. She said she got tired of waiting for the doctors to finish with you. But I think she was squeamish," she confided in a stage whisper.

The doctor motioned for her to be quiet, and then he walked over to make the lights dimmer.

Then he left, and a nurse took his place. She was standing at the end of my hospital bed, looking at various charts.

That was when the talking started again. "You missed two days of school, but don't worry, Maria promised to get all the work for you so you can catch up. By the way, she and Tanner are dating again. And your parents don't know you are here, Maria is doing an excellent job of covering up your trail. It's her way of saying thanks for getting her back with Tanner, I guess." She was talking super-fast, mostly rambling. But, when she saw I was not responding to anything, she stopped. "Ellie?" she asked.

I blinked at her, as if really seeing her for the first time. "Who are you?" I asked, looking up at her.

* * *

A/N- sry it was such a short chapter, i just felt like this would be a good place to end it...and i actually did not plan on putting this in the story, i had typed up until the part where she opens her eyes and then the idea just came to me, so let me know if you think it was good or not! review and more coming soon!


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

"Excuse me? Who-who-who am I? You're kidding, right?" The girl laughed in disbelief.

I gave her a blank look. "Um, no, I'm obviously not. I am sitting here on a hospital bed. Do I look like I'm in the type of mood to crack jokes right now?"

The girl's face fell. "I'm your best friend, Cassidy. You don't remember me? At all? Are you serious?" Her mouth formed an _O _and her jaw dropped.

I shook my head. Ouch. Mental note to self: do not move. "Nope. I'm sorry; my injuries must have done this. But I swear I have never seen you before…" I trailed off in thought. Nope, no memories of her whatsoever.

Just then, the doctor came back in. "So how are things feeling, Ellie. Any pain?"

"Nope, none at all!" I said cheerfully.

"Too bad the same can't be said for me," said the girl, and with tears in her eyes she fled the room.

"What is with your friend?" the doctor asked, coming to the machines beside the bed and fiddling with knobs.

"I don't know," I said thoughtfully. "So what's wrong with me anyways?"

"Well you have a possible concussion, since you hit the surfboard pretty hard and then you almost drowned except for your friend that was here saved you. She was already at your house, and she saw you go down. She went out and pulled you to shore where she called your sister and an ambulance. You're lucky to have her," he added, holding my wrist as he checked my pulse. You hit your head on some rocks or something, though, so you have ten stitches on your forehead. Ah, ah, ah, don't touch," he scolded, when I reached up to feel my head and discovered a big gauzy bandage wrapping around my temple.

I groaned mentally. This would keep me from surfing for at least a week until there were no more stitches.

"You also had a dislocated shoulder, but that should heal right up. You have a bruise on your ribs; you should feel pain for a few weeks at the most. And your pinky was fractured, but that won't be quite so bad." My face was going paler and paler each time he added another injury to the list. What had I _done_?

"And then of course, there is your broken wrist," the doctor went on.

Woahhh, back the truck up. "Excuse me?" I asked.

"Broken wrist," he said, and lifted the sheets up to reveal my right ark covered in a bright green cast. I had been too drugged up to notice the extra weight on that arm. Oh well, at least it was a cool color. Wait, what was I saying?

"So how long do I have to stay out of the water?" I said, my voice shaking.

"At least four months. I'm sorry, your friend told me how good you were at surfing. And it might need physical therapy, but I'm not sure yet, you will have to come back in a few months so I can make sure you don't need it. You will at least have to stay one more night to make sure you are doing okay with all your injuries." The doctor continued on, being totally oblivious to the total meltdown I was about to have.

Luckily, Maria came in before I completely hyperventilated. She took one look at me, and shooed the doctor out with the promise she would make me eat and call him when I needed more medication.

"He just told you about your arm?" she said sympathetically. I nodded, my mouth quivering but no tears coming out.

Maria came and sat on the end of my hospital bed. "So did it work?"

I nodded and groaned. I can't believe I was doing this.

Maria took my moan as one of pain, and she pressed the button by my bed. A nurse came in, and stuck a needle into the tube connected to my arm, and soon I was drifting off into a sweet unconsciousness.

* * *

When I woke up, nobody was in the room. I was alone. I breathed a sigh of relief at the emptiness. I glanced at the clock. Two in the morning. Oh. That's why it was dark and no one was here. With a yelp of pain, I got up from the bed, noticing with relief that someone had taken the IV and tubes out of my arm.

When I got to the bathroom, I looked in the mirror. My face was haggard and my hair was ruffled. Thankfully, none of it had been shaved for my stitches.

With a slow speed that would anger even a snail, I unwound the bandage and gasped. The stitches looked haphazardly placed, but I realized, upon further inspection, that they were each sealing a cut. I had several gashes on my forehead and right above my left eye. My stomach lurched and I hurried to cover up my head.

I went to the bathroom then walked slowly back to my bed. I realized someone had set a tray with some food on it beside my bed, and I weakly munched on a grape as I flipped through the various TV channels and waited for the hospital to come alive.

I woke to someone shaking me. It was a nurse. "Sorry, dear, but we need to run some tests on you, come on!" she said cheerfully, helping me sit up and waiting patiently as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I looked at the clock. It was now eight, and the hospital was bustling with activity.

"Here." I turned to the nurse, who was holding out a light orange robe. "It was either this or yellow," she told me apologetically.

"It's fine," I assured her and slipped it on. Ooh, it was soft and good quality, unlike the hospital outfit I already had on that somebody had gotten on me when I was unconscious.

She put me into a wheelchair despite my heavy complaints, and wheeled me up to the floor where I was going to be tested.

After testing my blood, reflexes, my brain activity, and physical activity (though I was limited in that department because of my injuries they _claimed_ I did a good job) they sent me back to my room. Only this time, the room was occupied, though I sure wish it wasn't.

"Excuse me, young man, visiting hours aren't for another two hours," my nurse said kindly, stopping my wheelchair beside my bed so I could climb out (rather fall out and then flop onto my bed, I was very ungraceful with my cast on). Two pairs of hands appeared in front of me. I waved both of them off.

"I'm fine," I said to them. "I can do this." The last part was mostly for my benefit.

When I was situated, the nurse fluffed my pillows and handed me my breakfast. It was past ten, and I was starving.

I had just brought the bagel to my lips when he spoke. "How are you doing, Ellie?"

The nurse sent him a glare from where she was examining papers of some sort next to me, but did nothing to make him leave.

I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it. "Look, Ell, I know you don't want me here, but Maria said something to me about your accident, and I had to come know you were okay."

The confused look came back to my face. "What is it with people coming and saying they know me?" I said, exasperated.

The nurse shot me a look, and Tanner looked baffled.

"Ellie, what are you talking about, of course you know me!" He sounded frustrated.

The nurse mumbled that he brought it upon himself by coming in to visit before hours and then she left us alone.

"Honestly," I said, making my voice barely a whisper. "I don't know who you are."

"How can you not? You were my first love, my first kiss, my first best friend," he said, impatient now. In two quick strides, he was by my side. He put his hand over mine, the undamaged one, and guided it to his heart.

"Remember? You always used to sit with me on the beach, and tease me about how you could feel my heart beating after a wave," he said, starting to choke up, but his eyes remained dry and lifeless.

I shook my head and put on a sad smile. "No, I didn't. That really doesn't seem like me."

"How can that not be you?"

"Well," I said dryly, already hating myself for what I was about to say, "for starters, you're not at all attractive, and therefore, totally _not_ my type."

_Liar_, I said to myself. _He's a gorgeous stranger._

His face drained of what little color he had left and his lips pressed together. "You're right. You really have changed." He turned on a sharp heel and walked out. When he was right outside the door, he popped his head back in. "Oh, and one more thing. I'm dating your sister." He flashed me a smirk that said _Gotcha!,_ but my face remained emotionless as I waited patiently for him to finish trying to make me jealous or angry. When I did nothing, his gloating face faltered for a second, then it was right back up, and his face, along with the rest of him, disappeared down the hall.

I brought my knees up to my chest. "Ow," I whispered to myself. My whole body hurt.

I pressed the button to summon the nurse, and she came in, looking relieved that the boy was gone.

"Everything hurts," I said weakly, slowly sinking down into the soft hospital bed.

The nurse nodded and produced a syringe filled with clear liquid, put it into my arm, and a few seconds later, I felt myself starting to drift, and it was only then, when my thoughts were completely fuzzy, that I realized the only part of me that really hurt was my heart.

* * *

A/N- anyone know where im going with this? has anyone caught on to ellie? :) sry for the short chapters, but hey at least you get to read more, faster! review :)


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

When I woke up, the tubes and wires were back into my arms. The doctor was above me, adjusting my IV drip.

"Wha-what happened?" I mumbled, my voice still thick with sleep and painkillers.

"You kept thrashing around when you were asleep and your blood pressure increased, so we're not sure what was wrong. You may have re-injured yourself. I thought it best to put you back on the IV and medications until we know for sure. It was a bit premature to take them off the last time, but we were being optimistic."

"S'okay doc," I slurred, and with that I went back to sleep.

* * *

It was ten o'clock, and I was hearing noises. No, I wasn't going crazy. I think. I was still foggy from the drugs the doctor had slipped into one of my medical tubes while he was talking to me, but I was still pretty sure I wasn't dreaming or hallucinating.

Oh wait. It was my cell phone. Someone had been nice and gotten my purse from home and put it on the table next to my hospital bed.

I struggled to reach it without hurting myself, but the tubes in my arms and the wires made it really hard to reach.

With one final grunt, and a lunge, I was able to snatch my bag before the vibrating stopped.

"Hello?" I said in a stage whisper. It was late, but I still wasn't sure why I was whispering. I was in a private room for Pete's sake.

"Hey." The other voice sounded normal, calm.

"Maria?"

"Who else? You don't know anybody else." She chuckled.

I sighed. "True. So what's up?"

"Did he try anything on you? Did he try and make a move when he found out you didn't remember him?" Maria sounded impatient and antsy.

"Chillax. He didn't. He almost ran out of here crying." I snickered. "But he did point out that he had a girlfriend." I decided to leave out the intimate moment when he placed my hand on his sculpted body.

My words (that I said out loud) soothed my stepsister. "Wow. So it worked. He really does care for me."

"Yes, yes," I said impatiently. "But how long do I have to do this for you."

"You were all for it."

"Technically you blackmailed me into doing it so you wouldn't tell Mom and Jay about me being in the hospital," I said, twirling a lock of my greasy hair around my finger, finding it difficult because of the heart monitor they had snapped onto the end of it.

"True, true. But I tend to think of it more like a favor or a show of our blood bond."

"We're stepsisters, we have no 'blood bond'," I said wryly, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, there you are wrong, my friend. One who is not bonded by blood would not have agreed to fake losing her memory for me."

* * *

Two days and several doses of pain medication later, I was discharged from the hospital. As per hospital code, I was wheeled outside in a very sexy wheelchair.

In the parking lot out front, Maria had her car waiting to take me back to my house.

"Thanks," I said wearily as she and the nurse helped me into the front seat. My ribs still ached like nothing else and of course my arm and shoulder were bothersome, but my head still hurt so bad. I didn't realize it until I was outside for the first time in days, but the lights in the hospital were dimmed. It was like I was drunk, my head was pounding at the hustle and bustle of the city traffic and I couldn't open my eyes very far because of the sunlight, not to mention I had elephants tap-dancing on my skull, giving me one hell of a headache.

I tried to doze off, but Maria had to keep nudging me so I could give her directions to my place, so I just gave up and closed my eyes to the world outside.

When Maria pulled into the driveway, I opened my eyes. Maria whistled.

"Wow. This is really cool. Just like in books and stuff." I heard a trace of envy in her voice.

"There's a key," I said. "In my bag." Maria reached for it.

But, as it turned out, there was no need for a key. Someone was already in my house. And that someone came rushing out to greet us before Maria could help me out of her car.

"Ellie, you're back! I wasn't sure when you'd be back, so I stayed here just to make sure everything was in order. My parents said it was okay, don't worry they wont tell your parents. They called the school for you too, to excuse your absences." Cassidy babbled on and on, like the day at the hospital never happened.

I shot a worried glance at Maria, who looked as calm as the countryside right before a tornado formed. She sensed me looking at her and shot me a look that said _Go on with the plan or your friend will be pissed at you for lying._ Well, her look didn't really say that last part, but that was probably what would happen if she found out I lied to her.

So I just nodded while Cassidy talked. When she realized I hadn't jumped into the conversation, she stopped. "Oh, I forgot, you don't have your memory! Well, it doesn't matter, that's where I come in. Even if you don't remember me," she said hurriedly, when she saw me open my mouth to make a comment, "I'm your best friend and I will take care of you, 'cause that's what we do. I think you're not needed anymore," she finished, glaring at Maria.

My stepsister took the hint, unloaded my bags from her car, and with a goodbye hug and a promise to call, she left.

"So." I squared my shoulders (figuratively) and turned to face Cassidy. "Are you going to be staying here?" I asked, picking up a duffel bag and wincing.

"Oh, lemme get that!" she said, and hurried to take my bags. "And yes, as long as you need me I will be here. And don't say you don't," she said, seeing the challenging look on my face.

"How'd you get the key?" I asked, walking with her to the front door.

"It was unlocked. Or at least the back door was. You left it open when you went surfing, and you left your keys on the counter. I also cleaned up the stuff you left lying around, and Georgia came and cleaned. I told her to wait until you were better, but she wouldn't hear of it. She also said to not worry about paying her until you were ready."

I groaned. "Okay. I'll write her a check when I get inside and find my checkbook."

Cassidy smiled. "I told her you'd say that, so I took it upon myself to find it. By the way, under your pillow is not a very creative hiding spot."

I blushed. It was a spur of the moment hiding spot.

An hour later, I had mailed a check, put away all my clothes, and fixed all the stuff that Cassidy put in the wrong spot. And finished one week worth of homework for two subjects. Wait. Just kidding, all I did myself was the homework. Cassidy insisted on doing the rest for me. It's not that I didn't mind, but she was getting annoying.

So, finally, after sitting down to dinner (a relief from the gross hospital food) and eating while she stared anxiously, hands fluttering towards me when I made even a face at the pain, I had had enough.

"Okay. Cassidy, I think you need to go home. I have everything under control. Really, I appreciate everything you have done for me. But after having nurses and doctors poke things into my skin, examine me, and constantly watch over me, I need to be alone."

Cassidy took a deep breath. "I get it, I'm just worried about you-"

"I know, but you shouldn't be. Honest. I'll probably be back in school tomorrow. I don't want your parents or Maria to keep covering for me and I have missed so much work they may have to send me to summer school. Which I do not look forward to, since this summer is all about surfing if I can get this damn cast off."

Cassidy looked appeased, and after helping me wash my dishes, left me to my own devices.

I sat down on the couch, antsy and unsure. I would have to develop a new lifestyle with these injuries, for sure. But how would I do that? Ok. Let's start simple, I decided. You need to bathe.

But, as I was running the water waiting for it to get hot, I knew it would _not_ be simple. I sighed and shut off the water with my good arm.

I covered my cast in a plastic bag and sat on a towel in the bathroom, then as gently as I could, took a washcloth and wet it with warm water and some Dove soap, and began to give myself a sponge bath.

In the end, it was probably less painful than showering; I remembered I couldn't have showered anyways because of my stitches, but it took a while and I still didn't feel clean. What was I going to do about my hair? It had a week and a half's worth of grease in it, and there was no way I could sponge-wash it.

I dressed in a pair of sweats, careful of the injuries, and sat down in front of the TV to think.

Ten minutes later, I found myself at the hair salon.

"Excuse me?" I went up to the desk and happened to glance at their automatic clock on the wall behind it. It was seven pm. An hour until they closed.

"Can I help you?" I turned. A girl about my age was standing there, eying me warily. I didn't blame her. The way I looked, she probably thought I was a homeless chick who needed shelter from the weather.

"Yeah. Do you take walk ins? I'm past due for a haircut." Not a complete lie, I had not gotten my hair done in a salon since I was twelve. I've always done it myself. But I figured it wouldn't hurt anyone if I broke the tradition. Besides, they had somebody to wash your hair.

The girl nodded and an hour later, I was paying for a nice cut and wash. My hair had gone from my waist to my shoulders, and I have to admit I liked the change. I felt lighter, more free. The girl had also evened out my natural highlights from the sun (with unnatural ones, obviously), free of charge.

I left feeling much better than when I walked in, so I called Maria.

"What?" she asked, sounding kind of crabby.

"Jesus. Chill, it's me."

"I know," she said sourly.

"Well then why are you so grumpy?" I asked, threading my fingers through my soft hair and wincing when the motion pulled at my stitches and stretched my bruises.

"Because of Tanner. He's gone off the deep end. He's distant with me now. What exactly _happened_ in the hospital?"

"Well. I told him, uh, that I didn't remember him, he tried to bring up memories that would make me remember him, and it didn't, he was getting on my nerves, so I _may_ have said some things that I regret and then he tried to shove it in my face that he was dating you and not me, and then I probably pissed him off some more. So don't worry. It's nothing you did, it's all my fault."

Maria was silent. When I looked at the phone screen, I found she had disconnected. What was her problem?

* * *

A/N- so heres another chapter :) not quite sure where this is going but i can promise drama in the next chapter ;) dont forget to read and review!


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

When the alarm clock went off the next morning, I was _so_ not ready for it. But I grumbled good-naturedly and rolled out of bed, wincing once again at my injuries as they complained at the simplest of movements.

By eight, I was dressed in a simple pair of form fitting jeans, Ugg boots, and an off-the-shoulder t-shirt. This helped my injuries breathe, and since all my injuries were above my waist, I could get away with the tight pants and boots. My doctor had called last night while I was away at the salon and told me I could take the bandage off my stitches. They would dissolve in another week or so, and I could let them remain uncovered as long as they didn't get dirty or wet.

So, now all I had to do was make my face as presentable as possible and try and ignore my neon cast, the bruises, and the stitches over all the visible skin on my body.

I put a thick, but still natural looking layer of concealer on my face, some sparkly gold eye shadow, mascara, and a shiny lip-gloss. All that looked out of sorts were the stitches, and once I brushed my silky hair, I found that I could cover the worst of the damage if I let my hair fall over the side of my face.

There, I thought, as I looked into the mirror. It would have to do.

When I pulled into the parking lot at school, I realized one thing I had not taken into account. My bag was killing my dislocated shoulder. I tried to switch shoulders, but it still ached.

"Damn," I muttered under my breath, and tried to lock my car, balance my bag on the hood, and not fall on my face. I was tipping as I tried to shove my keys into my bag when someone grabbed my waist and my good arm to steady me.

"Thanks," I said, not looking up before I said it. When I did, I regretted opening my mouth.

"You're welcome," Tanner said with a wry smile. "See? I knew you couldn't forget me for long." He took my bag from the hood of my Mustang and started walking towards school.

I made a noise of protest and scurried after him. "Being polite has nothing to do with remembering you or not," I said, putting a heavy emphasis on the _not_. "I would say the same thing to anyone who helped me. And do you _mind_? I can carry my own bag."

Tanner scoffed. "Yeah. I see you had it all under control. Trust me, with that shoulder, you can't do it."

I stopped. "Give me back my bag."

Tanner kept walking but turned and smirked at me. "I don't think I will." And then he casually strolled into school, my designer bag standing out in stark contrast with his worn black backpack.

I sighed and hurried after him, ignoring the looks from my fellow school goers.

By the time I got to first period, my bag was sitting alone in my usual seat, no Tanner in sight. I breathed a sigh of relief, then went to go talk to the teacher about what I had missed.

When I got back to my seat after greeting a few people and answering questions about my accident (apparently Cassidy had made me into some sort of miraculous survivor and had stretched the details and severity of my accident while I was hospital-ridden so that I was now semi-popular), I was in a pretty good mood, this morning's incident almost totally forgotten. Until I retrieved my lucky neon green lead pencil from my pencil case to begin class.

It had no lead in it, which I found odd, because I always make sure to restock after I finish a piece. I took out the eraser and turned it upside down, just to make sure the lead hadn't gotten stuck, but what fell out wasn't lead, but a note.

It was written on a tiny scrap of notebook paper, and rolled up tight to fit in the pencil.

I unfolded it, glanced at the teacher to make sure he was still scribbling on the board, and started reading the scrawled note.

**Ellie, don't worry. You couldn't get rid of me**

**that easily. I'll be back after class to help**

**with your bag. There's no point in **

**arguing. –T**

I sighed. I knew I couldn't get rid of him that easily. I wasn't sure whether to feel honored that he would help me like this after I totally dissed him in the hospital or creeped out. But how would he know I would have gotten this specific pencil? My eyes strayed back to the note.

**PS: I know this is your favorite pencil and it would**

**kill you to run out of lead :)**

I sighed. Okay, it was creepy, not cute.

But after class, Tanner was true to his word, and he was waiting outside my class when I walked out, my bag in the crook of my good arm.

"Go away," I said, not even looking in his direction as I continued walking in the direction of my second period, my step not faltering.

"No can do, princess," he said, and easily caught up to me. "I'm here to help."

I groaned loudly. "I'm _fine_," I said, agitated. "Go _away_. I don't even know you and you're trying to hit on me. Didn't you ever stop to think that that would make me a little creeped out?"

"I don't think. I just _do_," he said in a playful, yet suggestive tone. Tanner tried to take the bag off my arm, but I was ready. I swung around and began to walk backwards as his hand clutched thin air.

Before he could process what I had done, I started walking forwards, in the opposite direction Tanner was already going. I would be taking the long way to class today.

I heard him call after me, but he didn't come after me.

I sat by myself at lunch, despite all the requests from various groups asking me to sit with them, and feeling lost without Cassidy, who hadn't shown up today due to a round of the flu, was reduced to thinking about Tanner.

By the time the bell had rung at the end of lunch, I had almost convinced myself it was not a mistake to avoid starting over with Tanner and continue our little spat. Almost.

In English, he acted like nothing bad had ever happened to us. But he kept kicking my chair. So, without Cassidy to be the levelheaded intervener and stop me before I did something crazy, I turned around and faced Tanner. "Quit kicking my chair!" I yelled.

Everyone, including Tanner and Mrs. O' Sherry, looked at me in surprise. But I turned around in my seat and faced the front, ready to listen to the lecture once more. But Mrs. O' Sherry would not have that.

She gave the class a reading assignment and ushered Tanner and me into the hallway.

Without any preamble, she handed both of us a signed detention slip. I sighed.

"Ellie, your absence does not give you a free pass to act however you please. As it is, your grade is slipping from your um, 'extended vacation' and distractions in class," she paused to glare at Tanner, "will not help matters. So next time you feel agitated, resolve it outside of my class. You too, Tanner."

We both 'Yes ma'am-ed', and looked relieved that we weren't putting up a fight, Mrs. O' Sherry held open the door and gestured for us to walk back in. I refused to look at Tanner as I sauntered to my seat, being aware of the whole class' eyes on us.

* * *

Detention was relaxing for once, I was able to put my head down and nap for the whole hour since we got a teacher that was more interested in the extra cash on his paycheck supervising detention would bring him, than in the actual students. While he watched a show on his laptop, the rest of us did whatever we wanted.

Tanner was pleased to find that some of his football teammates had also been stuck with detention so he was over in a corner chatting and rough-housing with them, so he was out of my hair, which let me take a peaceful snooze until the timer woke me at four.

I groggily lifted my head and gathered my bag off the ground. I had made it a few steps from the door until Tanner reached me, his football buddies whacking him on the back and calling farewell as they headed off to practice.

"So…" he said.

I rolled my eyes and started to walk faster.

"Hey!" he complained, and jogged a few paces to catch up to me. "I just want to talk!"

"Well I don't," I said simply, and turned the corner sharply.

He sighed in frustration. I smiled.

"Oh, so now I amuse you," he said. "Great." He was being sarcastic.

"No. Actually you just annoy me. You're a random guy who is hitting on me when he is apparently dating my stepsister." I kept my eyes trained on the front doors ahead of me, refusing to look at his face as he walked with me.

"Aha. So you _did_ listen to me."

"It wasn't a question of whether or not I was listening to you."

"And I'm not hitting on you. I'm being friendly. You would know if I was hitting on you," he said matter-of-factly.

Without any warning, he grabbed my good wrist, and jerked me to a stop. Before I could protest, he kissed me. And I am ashamed to say I started kissing him back. He pressed me up against a row of lockers, the cold steel pressing against my shirt, but I was too happy to care.

As his arms tightened around me in a sort of possessive, yet comforting way, my arms snaked up around his neck. And for a split second, my world was full of pure bliss. Then I realized what I was doing.

I pushed Tanner away, and readjusted my bag, giving my hair a slight shake at the same time to put it back to normal.

"Was that you hitting on me?" I said, feeling a little bit breathless. "Because this is _me_ hitting _you_." I stepped up to him and slapped him on the face. "Don't kiss me again," I threatened, my voice low.

Tanner said nothing, but the surprise that I had hit him was clear on his face.

I turned sharply and walked calmly out of school, like nothing had ever happened.

When I had reached the safety of my car, however, I lost it. I was trying not to shriek or exclaim, but bits and pieces of a few choice words managed to get out. When I was done ranting, I just sat in my car and thought it over.

I was done lying to myself. I had first loved Tanner when I saw him on the beach for the first time. And I had never stopped.

* * *

A/N- lemme know what you guys thought :) and dont worry this wont be the end of tanner/ellie 3 so keep reading/reviewing and ill keep writing :D


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

By the time I got home, my mind was in a jumble. I needed to sort things through. So, with a carton of Chunky Monkey in hand and the whole first season of _Gossip Girl_, I sat down to think.

Finally, by the ninth episode, my head was feeling clearer, but my stomach ached from the ice cream binge. I had come to terms with the fact that I loved my sister's boyfriend and that I _really_ regretted hitting him after he kissed me like that. I sighed. And I had acted like a brat. I also realized that I should probably come clean about 'losing my memory' but I was going to take things one step at a time.

I was about to grab my car keys, head over to Cassidy's, and hang out with some chick flicks and chicken noodle soup, but my laptop pinged.

When I opened it, it showed I had a video chat request waiting. I clicked on it. It showed Maria's bedroom at my house.

I put the laptop down on the kitchen table.

"Maria?" I asked, but she was nowhere in sight. My finger hovered over the red "x" that would close the chat window when she suddenly came into view.

I was about to say something when I realized she had company. Maria had obviously just come from the pool; she was in a skimpy pink bikini and her brown hair was wet. Her skin glistened from the oil in her natural tanning lotion. Her companion was male, very tan, sculpted, and looked amazing in his black swim trunks. When he turned around, I could see the face and the shaggy hair. Tanner, who else?

My heart sped at the sight of him, but I took a deep breath. He wasn't mine. I refocused my attention on the video.

He and Maria were holding hands, and Maria said something to make him laugh. I couldn't hear it though, they were too far away. But then they stopped a few feet from where the laptop was sitting; I was assuming it was on Maria's desk. They didn't seem to notice the laptop was in chat mode, which was odd, but I could hear their conversation now.

Maria put her arms around Tanner and pulled him close. "I hear you've been a bad boyfriend," she semi-whispered.

Tanner put his hands on her waist. I tried not to gag, his hands were not large, but they almost reached all the way around her skinny frame.

"What do you mean?" he asked, pulling her in for a kiss.

Maria pulled away. "I heard through the grapevine that you kissed my sister today after school," she said, louder this time. I could detect a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Where'd you hear that? You know that gossip is usually not true," he said, calm and cool.

Tanner sat down on the floor and pulled Maria down on top of him. He started to massage her shoulders. Neither one acknowledged that the video chat was on.

Maria murmured. "How do I know this isn't true?" she pondered quietly, so quietly that unless you knew her, you'd think that she was talking to herself. But both Tanner and I knew better.

"Because. Why would I do that to you? I'm over your sister, I've told you. Especially since she can't remember me anymore." He could lie so well, even I started to believe him.

Maria snorted. "Wow, you really believed that bullshit?"

"What are you talking about, Maria?" Tanner sighed. It was obvious that he had heard this line plenty of times.

"She never forgot anybody. She lied and faked losing her memory so you would leave her alone." Maria laughed coldly. "She even pretended to forget about her best friend so it would seem more real. Think about it. Ellie must have _really_ wanted to get you out of her life if she was willing to sacrifice her best friend." She smiled, and I think only I could detect the touch of evil malice behind it.

I gaped, my mouth open wide. Tanner's expression looked similar, but he recovered faster. "Why would she do that? You're lying," he accused, pulling away from Maria.

"Am I? Try and talk to her, accuse her, and see what she says."

Tanner rolled his eyes. "Fine. But I'm warning you, she might not answer. We parted on some, um, different terms today."

Maria smirked. "I know. I saw the whole thing."

Tanner muttered under his breath. "Of course you did." Maria didn't seem to hear him.

Tanner fished his cell phone out of his jeans, which were laying somewhere out of the laptop camera's range.

A few seconds later, my cell phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket, already trying to put the choices into _pros _and _cons_ in my mind. The pros of answering finally won over the cons, and before Tanner could hang up or my phone could go to voicemail, I picked up.

"Hello?" I asked, keeping a wary eye on the chat window. But my worries were for naught, it seemed that the volume on Maria's computer was turned off, so I could hear their side of the conversation, but they could not hear me.

"Hey, Ell. It's Tanner."

"Ugh. Not you again." I groaned, pretending I didn't know he was calling.

"Wait, wait, wait. Don't hang up; I know you're mad at me. I just have a question for you. One question and then you can never speak to me again."

I sighed. "Make it fast. I have a roaster chicken in the oven." I put my feet up on the kitchen table and glanced at the still-frozen bird that was sitting out on the counter.

"Okay. Maria, well you know how she is, but she said something today and I just wanted to make sure it wasn't true."

"Shoot," I said, trying to sound calm. What would I say when he asked me? Should I deny it and make my stepsister even more pissed than she already is? But then again, she helped me when no one else would, so I owe her one.

Deep down in my heart, I knew that's what I should do. I also knew that is what Maria was counting on. Me, being the honest and caring girl she ruefully admitted me to being, knowing that I owed her one. She was counting on this being the one.

"Okay, um, I really don't know how to phrase this…" he trailed off, and I could see he was agitated, running his fingers through his curly hair.

Maria swatted his arm. _Ask her_, she mouthed. I wanted to punch her.

"So, about that losing your memory thing." He coughed. Now I wanted to hit him as well. Spit it out already before I lose my nerve!

"Was it real or did you fake it?"

Oh jeez. This could either go horribly right or horribly wrong. But I said it. And as soon as I said it, I wanted to take it back. "Yes."

"Yes it was real or yes you faked it?" Tanner asked.

"Yes. I faked the whole thing, but-"

I stopped when I heard the dial tone. Tanner had hung up on me. I threw my phone across the room.

I was about to throw my laptop when I realized that a, it cost way more than my phone and would break a hell of a lot easier, and b, that I wanted to see how Tanner reacted.

He had slumped up against Maria's bed, his phone still in his hand. He looked rejected, disappointed, and confused.

"Why would she do that to me?" he asked, mostly to himself.

Maria decided to intervene. "She's selfish. And she definitely doesn't deserve you. She doesn't know what she's missing," she purred. Oh, I think I do.

I decided to finally shut down the chat when she started to make out with Tanner on her bedroom floor, whose back was to the camera. A second before I exited though, Maria opened her eyes, looked right at the camera, and winked.

I wanted to reopen the chat as soon as I closed it, but the damage was done. Maria had known about the chat; she was the one that had invited me to it. She had set this whole thing up to get back at me for kissing her boyfriend.

I slammed the laptop onto the couch in frustration and went to go put dinner in the oven. I would need food in my stomach for my next mission.

* * *

I knocked on Cassidy's door an hour later. Her mom opened the door. Eli was trailing behind her, toddling on his cute little legs.

"Hey, Mrs. Jennings. Is Cassidy well enough to have visitors?"

"Uh, yes, of course, come on in, dear." She waved me through the door. I held up my hand for Eli.

"High five, little man!" He weakly hit my outstretched hand. "Awesome!" He grinned his little baby grin as I raced down the hall and down the stairs into the basement.

The door was cracked, and I peeked in. The room was completely dark; the only source of light being the one in the hall where I was. I could see a lump under the large futon in the corner of the room, and her room was perfectly clean, which was highly unusual.

The Jennings were, to say the least, very rich. They lived in a place that was not on the beach, which was very unusual for locals, but rather in a mansion a few miles up the road.

It had a long winding driveway that was lined with palm trees and a small lake was in the front yard, perfect for hot summer days when the beach was crowded with tourists. The house itself was the largest one in the area. It stood at three stories (not including the basement) and was grand enough to have pillars at the door. The inside was just as amazing, but not in the way the outside of the house was. While the outside gave the house a historical, Mount Vernon feel, the inside would make you feel like you were in a New York City penthouse apartment.

Cassidy's bedroom was the prime example. Her walls to the left and right of the door were a calming midnight blue. The wall directly across from the door was all glass, letting whoever was in the room see the Japanese garden right outside her room. The wall where the door was had a silhouette of the giant Japanese Cherry tree that was in the center of the garden. A twinkling string of green lantern lights were threaded across the outer parts of her ceiling and she had a flat screen TV on one wall that had dragonflies on the speakers. She had a futon that was fitted to the corner of her spacious room and lay only a few inches off the floor. She had a glass coffee table in the center of the room that had tea lights in the center, surrounding a small bonsai tree.

Normally, magazines were spread across the table and designer clothes were thrown haphazardly on the beanbag and bubble chairs placed randomly in the room, but now nothing was out of place. The framed photo of the two of us at a football game hung perfectly straight, her circular mirrors around the room seemed fingerprint-free, and the grass woven trashcan was empty.

She must really be sick if she hadn't even been out of bed since the maid last came. I closed the door and tiptoed back upstairs.

I stopped by the kitchen on the way out. "She was sleeping, so I'm just going to go. Tell her I stopped by?" I asked Mr. Jennings, who was making dinner.

He nodded, and I shouted goodbye to the rest of the family as I walked out of the house and to my car.

I started to turn left onto the road that would take me to my house. But at the last minute I changed my mind and took a right, convinced that what I was about to do was the right thing.

I pulled up the drive to the house twenty minutes later. I got out of the car, expecting to be calm and rational about all of this. But when I saw Maria's innocent face as she opened the door, all that went out the window. Figuratively, of course, though I would have loved to push her out of the window in the living room. I settled for punching her in the face.

"What the hell?" she spluttered after my fist had made a satisfying crunching noise when it came into contact with her nose.

"That is what you get for stealing my guy!" I screamed, trying not to attract too much attention, but based on the looks I was getting from the mailman and the poor guy watering his flowers across the street, it was not working.

Maria immediately got defensive. "He wasn't your guy! He never was. All he was to you was a pawn in your giant real life game of…oh, who the hell knows what it's called? It's screwed up, is what it is!"

"No, he actually meant something to me! But then you butted your way into my life and shoved us apart, all while completely ruining my life. Congratulations," I said sourly. "You can multi-task."

"You don't get it, do you?" Maria taunted, circling me. "He was out of your life before I even came into the picture. And I wouldn't say I butted my way in. I…pushed."

"Argh!" I yelled. Pretty impressively, I might add, like a warrior's battle cry. I launched myself at Maria again, my limbs swinging wildly. I would take any punch I could get in.

We somehow got into the kitchen and it was only until Maria's slap went wide and managed to knock the bowl of apples off the counter that we stopped throwing punches.

For a second, we both stood, breathing heavily. And then Maria started yelling.

"You bitch! I think you broke my nose!" She touched it gingerly and winced.

"Really?" I said, the hopefulness evident in my voice.

She scowled, then touched it again. "Ah, no, maybe it's just bruised."

"Really?" I said again, less hopeful than before. "Then maybe I help in that department." I made to go towards her again, when all of a sudden, I was hoisted over someone's shoulder and deposited on the other side of the room. I tried to lean around whoever it was, but their back was to me and conveniently blocked my view of my stepsister.

I started to protest to the intervener, but then they turned around. My objections got caught in my throat as I looked up at Tanner's disappointed face.

* * *

A/N- sorry it took so long i wanted to make sure the chapter was long enough... its getting to the end soon, i promise! (i know i keep saying that but then add more chapters) only 1 or 2 more, then maybe an epilogue...i dont know i havent thought it through yet. but enough with my chattering. review, already!


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

"What the hell were you doing?" Tanner asked me.

"I was…" I trailed off. "I don't know what I was doing." Which was obviously quite a lie, but I wasn't going to tell him the real reason.

Tanner turned his attention to Maria. "What was your part in this?" he asked sourly.

"I didn't do anything." Maria sighed pitifully while I rolled my eyes. "I opened the door and she punched me." She gestured to her nose.

Now it was Tanner's turn to sigh. "I don't know what to do with you two. When will you learn that fighting is not the answer to your problems? And trust me, there's a lot of them."

Maria pouted. "I know. Now enough about how wrong Ellie acted." I scowled at her from behind Tanner's back. "I think my nose is broken. Drive me to the hospital?" She fluttered her eyes at Tanner. Tanner sighed again and reached into his pockets to pull out his keys.

"Sure," he said, and Maria flounced out the front door.

"Tanner." I touched him on the shoulder as he turned to follow Maria. "Can I talk to you?"

"I have nothing to say to you," he said, and then he turned and walked out the door.

After he left, I found myself at the kitchen table, nursing my old and new injuries, but then I remembered I still had dinner in the oven, and it should be done by now, so I stood up, took a deep breath, and went back to my house.

* * *

Tomorrow was another school day. I made it through without seeing Maria or Tanner, and it was no fun without Cassidy there, so I decided to skip last period and go surfing.

While I was surfing in my backyard, someone called me on my cell phone. I could hear it going off loudly on the beach, but I could not pick it up.

It was only two hours later when I had finished and was laying on my towel to dry off that I was able to listen to the voice mail.

_Hey, Ell, it's Cassidy. Thanks for stopping by earlier,_

_my mom just told me you did. I feel loads better _

_thanks to the meds the doctors gave me and_

_tons of sleep, so I should be back in school by_

_Monday. Oh, and don't forget to pick up your cap and gown order_

_Saturday afternoon. Could you get mine too? My mom doesn't_

_want me leaving the house for another day or two. Thanks!  
Love you, bye!_

Crap. I completely forgot that cap and gown orders were here. Hell, I even forgot graduation was in a few months. Guess I know what my plans were this weekend.

I called Cassidy back and we talked for a few hours about anything and everything. It started getting dark around nine, which was when I said my goodbyes and went to go take a bath.

I had managed to hold it together for so long. But when I was sitting in my bathtub with my cast in a plastic grocery bag, and my injuries throbbing, I lost it. Not like I did with Maria, but like I did when my dad died.

I kept telling myself I would stop crying. I would get out of the water that was slowly turning my skin to a texture that would make even the best of raisins jealous. I would go on with my life. But then another wave of tears came and I lost my determination.

Two hours later, my tears had finally run dry and my bath water had surpassed the freezing stage moving on to just plain unbearable. I climbed out shakily and wrapped myself in a giant towel.

After patting myself dry, I went into my room, got on a pair of comfy pajamas, and dug through my closet until I found my old Snuggie that my mom had gotten me for Christmas.

I rooted through my shelves in my desk until I found my calculator and my math textbook, and I took them with me to the living room, planning on tackling Calculus until I fell asleep drooling over the paper.

All my plans went through my window, though, when I discovered I wasn't alone.

* * *

"Mom?" I asked, astounded.

"Hello, Elizabeth," my mother said, without ever turning from the window. She was standing with her arms folded, looking out onto the street, even though it was pitch-black outside.

"What are you doing here?" I put my textbook down on the coffee table.

"When I came home, Maria was nursing a broken nose. I put two and two together, and figured you couldn't be much better off if you did that to her, so I got her to tell me where you were staying." She still didn't turn around. "I'm surprised you even remembered about this place. I sure didn't. I have to admit that I'm impressed with what you've done with it." She finally turned. And immediately gasped.

"Good God, did Maria do that to you?" she asked, rushing over. She seemed unsure whether she should touch me, so she just stood near, her hands fluttering uselessly.

I chuckled darkly, then moved to sit on the couch. My mom followed close behind. "No way. I don't have a mark on me from Maria. This is from an accident that happened, uh last week? The week before last? I don't know the days seemed to morph together while I was in the hospital," I said calmly.

"What? The _hospital_?" My mom was aghast. "How come we didn't know about this?"

"You haven't exactly been welcome in my life these past few weeks," I said coolly.

"Look." My mom sighed. "I'm sorry. I regret losing my cool like that and things have not been good since you left. Jessica is beside herself, and Jay doesn't like that Jess is upset, so we would all just be better off if you came back." She gave me a pointed look.

I scoffed. "So naturally Jay only cares about his own kids."

"You know that's not tr-"

"Listen, Mom," I interrupted. "I don't really want to start arguing again. But honestly, I think it's best if I just stay here for a while. I don't think Maria is in any hurry to get have me home." I smiled fondly at the memory while my mom chuckled softly. "But if Jess wants to spend the weekend here, she's welcome to the guest bedroom. I'll be out of the water for a while, so I'll actually be able to keep an eye on her and spend time with her."

My mom smiled at me again, glad the tense moment was over. "I'm sure she'd like that. Now what exactly happened to you?"

I told her what I remembered of my accident, minus the whole faking my amnesia thing. She nodded sympathetically at all the right parts and even gasped. Then, when I was done, she got up and went into the kitchen. I followed behind her, not quite sure what she was up to. She rooted through the pantry until she found the box of popcorn I had bought last week and a packet of hot chocolate. I smiled and went to go put in a movie.

* * *

I walked into school bleary-eyed the next morning. My mom and I had talked for a little while after the movie, and then I had to work on my unfinished calc homework. Add all that together, and I managed to get to sleep right before one o'clock last night. Or was it this morning? Either way I was dead to the world.

I was in good spirits, though, because after school today, I was stopping by my mom's house to pick up Jess for a weekend with her at my house. I had invited Cassidy over for a girl's weekend with Jess, but her mom still didn't want her around people. Which was a bummer; mainly because that meant I still had to pick up her stuff tomorrow. And I had no one to sit with at lunch.

Tanner avoided me in all the classes we had together, which thankfully wasn't many. I was getting beyond frustrated, because I knew that he knew that we needed to talk, but he wouldn't even look me in the eye.

So, as usual, I took matters into my own hands. I was now waiting patiently on the top of the bleachers after school. My mom had already been informed I would be a little late picking up my sister, and I had a bag of gummies next to me to satiate my daily after school hunger pains. I would wait as long as it took for Tanner to look up during his track practice and notice me.

Surprisingly, it didn't take long at all. It was about twenty minutes into practice when the clouds rolled in, and I groaned. I managed to run into my car just as the first raindrops fell, and I grabbed my sweatshirt and my giant polka-dot umbrella.

But, after a few seconds of struggling with my umbrella, I realized it would be really hard to try and work on my homework, eat my gummies, and hold my umbrella at the same time, so I shoved the umbrella back into the backseat and just put on the sweatshirt.

Within minutes of sitting on the bleachers (with a very wet butt) I was soaked and wishing I had the umbrella. Besides, I had to keep my cast dry and that wasn't working out. But the track team was still practicing. Well, I wouldn't exactly call it practicing. The boys were running around the track jumping in every puddle they could find and the girls had all run squealing to the locker rooms to put on jackets before huddling under the ticket booth awning.

The coach threw up his hands. "All right guys, that's enough. We're not going to get anything done with this weather. See you on Monday." The girls ran to the parking lot, thrilled to go home. The boys, however, whipped off their shirts and ran hollering to the locker rooms. I grabbed my bag of gummies and rushed down the bleacher stairs, making enough racket for the whole boys track team to stop yelling and stare at me, the bedraggled, injured blonde slipping down the bleachers and track. Embarrassing? Try humiliating.

"Tanner!" I cried, screeching to a halt in front of the mob of half naked, soaking wet teen boys. "I have to talk to you."

Tanner stepped forward and I momentarily lost my breath, as well as a grasp on humanity. But then I took a deep gulp of the rainy air and I was back in my own head, staring at just another guy on the track team.

"We'll see you later, Tan," one guy said, slapping him on the back. The other guys sauntered into the locker room, leaving Tanner and me alone in the pouring rain.

"What?" Tanner said, breaking the silence.

I squinted up at him in the rain. "I need to tell you something. You need to hear the whole truth and not just Maria's part."

Tanner sighed. "I really need to get-"

"It will only take a minute, I swear."

"Fine." Tanner crossed his arms and looked down at me. "You have sixty seconds."

"Okay, so it all started when I was being wheeled into the ER. Maria was running alongside the gurney when I became conscious and she started talking to me, saying how this was the perfect opportunity to test how faithful you were to her. She begged and pleaded and I owed her one, so I said sure, just as long as she didn't take it too far." I paused to take a breath and to gauge his reaction. His face was impassive, so I continued. "So, when I woke up in the hospital room, Maria reminded me of my promise and you know I'm a girl of my word so I went along with it."

"Yeah, I know," Tanner said sourly. "It's annoying how honest you are."

I rolled my eyes. "Let me finish," I said. "So I did, and I felt terribly guilty."

"Then why didn't you do something about it, Ellie?"

"Because I promised!" I had raised my voice. "Don't you get it? This whole thing was about me being good! You don't know how hard it is for me to be perfect! The perfect daughter, the perfect student, the perfect friend, and the perfect little girl who everyone wants to be! I just couldn't do it!" I was breathing hard and yelling, not even caring how wet and cold I was.

"You didn't have to be, Ellie. That was the problem. You could have stopped it any time. Instead you led me along in your little game. Your sister told me the truth, something you obviously didn't have the balls to do," Tanner said, his eyes narrowing, not even seeming to care that I was about to hyperventilate.

"You don't get it do you?" I was beyond pissed. He did not understand. "I was going to tell you, you idiot! The next morning in school, after you kissed me, I had it all planned out! But your girlfriend set up a video chat of her telling you and you got all mad. Don't you see it? Maria set this up!" I stomped my foot, exasperated.

"It doesn't matter," Tanner said, turning away from me. "You still went along with it. Didn't you listen to all those years in health class? Just say no and all that?" Tanner smirked and started walking backward toward the locker room. "And please, don't bother me. I'm with your sister now and you'll just have to deal. I know that you only chased me down here so I would have no choice to listen to you. If I refused in front of my team, it would have made me look bad. But not again. I know you really don't feel guilty."

He couldn't be serious; he was just goading me, seeing how much I could take before I cracked. He would laugh then, pretend it's all a joke. But no, he turned away and walked into the locker room, swinging the door shut behind him.

I was left in the rain, which had slowed to a drizzle. I turned around to face the empty track and football field. I didn't even realize it when my tears started mixing in with the rain pouring down my face. I sank to the ground and hugged my knees to my chest. It was over. I had lost.

* * *

A/N- only a chapter more or so :) dont forget to review :D


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"Go, go, go!" One voice stood out from all the others that were screaming. I scanned the crowd and found my best friend. She was in the middle of the crowd, clad in a bright yellow wrap dress, and cheering as loudly as she could.

I waved from my board. Cassidy noticed and pointed me out to Jess, who was sitting on her shoulders for a better view.

No, I told myself. Ignore them. It's just you, your board, and the perfect wave.

This was the semi-finals in the West Coast Surf Competition and I was up.

Earlier that month, I had placed in the top four in each of the previous divisions in the WCSC and I had made it to the semi-finals, and hopefully, I would go on to the finals next week. It all depended on how I did today.

Which was so far, so good. I finished my last wave and walked up the sand to cheers. Jess ran away from Cassidy and came up to me, hugging me around my waist.

I laughed and wiped the hair from my eyes as I bent down to look at her. "You got yourself all wet!" I said.

She laughed too, and we went to go stand with Cassidy to await my scores.

The judges were typing and my scores popped up onto the electronic scoreboard by the judges' booth.

Yes! I had placed second in the semi-finals! I turned to Cassidy. We both squealed and bounced up and down, earning several looks from the crowd, but they didn't seem to care too much.

"Ice cream?" Cassidy asked me, her eyes shining. I grinned.

"Most definitely. But first they need me over there for pictures." I gestured towards the crowd of press over by the judges' table and scoreboard. Cassidy reached into her bag and pulled out a lifeguard sweatshirt for me. I put it on over my wet swimsuit and put my arm around Cassidy's shoulders. I bent down to let Jessica jump on my back and we walked together to face the cameras.

"Ellie!" one woman shouted to me, shoving her recording device in my face. "Now that you have come in second in the semi-finals what can we expect at the finals in a few days?"

I looked her in the eye and took a deep breath. I felt Cassidy squeeze my hand, and I answered. "You can expect me to be bigger and better than I was today. I was just getting started." I smiled sweetly while Cassidy and Jess retreated to the side so I could get some pictures in.

"Wow," I breathed as I was changing in the bathroom at the pizza parlor on the boardwalk. "Those people are ruthless."

Cassidy laughed. "They're good publicity, though. And you need all the support you can get in the finals. People are rooting for this mysterious surfer guy from somewhere near here."

I couldn't have agreed more. In one of the earlier rounds in the semi-finals, one of the ones I hadn't taken part in, there was an anonymous male surfer. He had made it through all the rounds like I had, but no one knew his name. He always wore a hat and sunglasses when he surfed and never stayed around to chat up the press and get some free publicity. Even the few shots the media _did_ manage to take were not very clear, so no one knew his name or where, exactly, he had come from.

"Not helping, Cass," I said, coming out of the stall. I had pulled my wet hair up on the top of my head and I wore a plain tank top and jean shorts. Which my mother claimed made me look like a whore, but then Cassidy said my surfer-toned legs just made her jealous, so I still wear them.

"You're right, I'm sorry. You need to focus on being the best you can be," Cassidy chimed, twirling her ponytail around her finger.

I nodded. "I need this scholarship more than anything. I'm going away to college in a few weeks, and if I don't have this scholarship money, I'm toast."

I had yet to move back in with my mom and Jay, even though my mom kept begging and pleading. I wasn't ready to let go of my freedom just yet. I was on better terms with her, though. We went out to dinner every Friday night, just us two. Jay was not allowed to come, and neither was Maria.

She and I had not talked since the day of graduation. We were separated by three people in the procession line at graduation and me, being the good sport I was, smiled at her and said, '"Congratulations." She had opened her mouth to say something to me, but then Tanner snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, so I turned away and talked to Cassidy, who was another two people behind me.

Anyways, my mom had offered to pay for some of college for me, but honestly, they didn't have the money and I didn't have the grades for the scholarship. So, when Cassidy showed me the ad on the internet, for a twenty _thousand_ dollar scholarship to the college of the winner's choice, I signed up right away. And so far, my hard work and Cassidy's vigorous training routine has paid off.

"To Ellie, the winner of the WCSC!" Cassidy squealed, lifting up her bottle of root beer.

I laughed and helped Jess hold up her little kiddy cup of lemonade. "I'm not the winner yet! And keep it down, people are staring!"

Sure enough, one guy from the table across the pizza parlor was looking at our table intently.

"Someone's got the hots for you," Cassidy whispered, smirking.

I blushed. "He does not." He was cute, though, and about my age.

"Oh yeah? Then why is he coming over here?"

I looked out of the corner of my eye. Sure enough, he had gotten up from his seat and was walking over here, weaving in between the tables.

"What am I gonna do?" I hissed, keeping my eyes on my pizza. "Should I randomly get up and go to the bathroom?"

Cassidy burst out laughing. "No, dummy. You are single. So keep you're a-butt in your chair." She glanced at Jessica who was innocently eating her pepperoni pizza.

I shook my head at Cassidy. "Jess, Cass almost said a bad word," I teased.

Jessica looked up at Cassidy. "Don't use bad words," she said, and calmly went back to eating her pizza.

Cassidy and I looked at one another and burst into another round of laughter.

"Um, hi."

I looked up. The guy had reached our table and was smiling at me. I flashed a quick grin.

"Hey," I said.

"Look I don't want to give the impression I've been eavesdropping on you ladies, but did you mention the West Coast Surf Competition?" He flashed a grin at Cassidy, who froze mid-bite.

"Yeah…" she said slowly, finally bringing the pizza to her mouth.

"Well it's a huge deal to all the people who read the magazine I intern for, _Soul Sports_."

I stared at him. "You're kidding!" I exclaim. Cassidy and the guy look at me. I blush. "I used to read that all the time when I was younger. After my subscription expired, I never renewed it, so I haven't seen it in a while. But you actually intern for them? Oh man, you have no idea how jealous I am right now."

Cassidy let out a snort. "I remember now! You always used to race home on the days it was supposed to come in the mail!"

My blush deepened. "Shut up."

"No," the guy interrupted. "I think that's cool. Not many people in this area have heard of us. I'm just down her spectating the competition, snapping a few photos for an upcoming article. Speaking of, are you one of the finalists?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Well can I interview you?"

I stared at him. Cassidy, seeing as I was vocally mute, took over.

"You want to interview her." The guy nodded. "For your magazine." He nodded again. "The one she practically is in love with?" He nodded again, slowly, not quite sure where she was going. "Are you stupid?"

I found my voice. "Cassidy!" I gasped, reaching across the table and whacking her on the arm. She made a face at me.

I smiled up at the guy who was watching this exchange with a slight smile on his face. "She _means_ I would love to. Just tell me when and where."

The guy's smile got bigger. "How about tomorrow afternoon. Do you know where Le Jardin des Cygnes is?"

Now it was my turn to smile. Le Jardin des Cygnes, which roughly translated to _Garden of Swans_, was a beautiful french café that was in the city of San Francisco. I had only been once, when I was eight. My dad had taken me for a daddy-daughter brunch while my mom was out of town on business.

"Yeah, I do. Is one good? I've got training at two-thirty, so that should give me enough time to get there and back," I replied.

"Cool. I'll see you then. Oh, by the way, I'm Brett." He smiled and handed me a piece of paper.

He walked away, and when he was outside, I opened the paper. It was his number.

I looked at Cassidy. We squeeled in unison.

"I'm so happy for you!" she said.

A laugh interupted us. I looked over at Jessica, feeling guilty that I had forgotten she was with us.

"You done?" I asked her, cleaning up her saucy face with a napkin. She nodded, I slipped a twenty on the table and we left.

I was so glad to have Jessica. Since my mom and Jay both worked, my mom dropped Jessica off at my house every morning at nine when she left for work and Jay picked her up at seven, so I got to have her all day. We did things like going to the zoo and the park. I was even teaching her how to surf. Unsurprisingly, she was not a natural, so it was tricky to teach a non-native, but I was managing, and she was progressing fast.

I had planned to take her and Cassidy to the beach down by my old house so we could stay for a few hours and then I would drop Jess off instead of Jay going out of his way to pick her up. But I got a call on the way to the beach that my mom had gotten let off early because of a power shortage in her building, so I was dropping Jess off on the way to the beach and would just go with Cassidy. I didn't mind that much though, it would give us a chance to talk.

"So…" Cassidy said, when we had spread our towels out on the beach and were laying down alone.

"So what?" I asked, playing dumb.

"Not funny, Melissa." Cassidy sat up to move her bag out of the way for a bunch of teenagers playing frisbee. "You know what I meant."

"Yeah, yeah. He's cute. But I don't know…"

"Don't say it," Cassidy threatened. "You have to get a boyfriend. It's like, a rite of passage. And Tanner doesn't count. You kissed him, like twice, and were together, for like what, six hours? And that doesn't even technically count either, since you two were never official."

I snorted. "I get it. And fine. I can't promise that I will go for it tomorrow, but I won't just sit there," I appeased.

And that was why I walked into Le Jardin des Cygnes with high expectations. I just hoped they were met.

* * *

A/N- sorry its a little short, i dont have much time to write now that finals are coming up! but im trying to get it done as fast as i can. review! :)


	24. Chapter 24

A/N- i know i dont usually put authors notes before the chapter, but this is important :) i want to give a shout out to my 50TH REVIEWER! they are anonymous or else i would put them in the story :) and a huge thanks to all the other people who have reviewed faithfully! much love~ maui ~

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

_Okay. Do not panic,_ I told myself as I glanced at my watch for about the fourth time in sixty seconds.

It was 1:06 and I was sitting at a table in the back of the garden patio. It seemed like all of San Francisco decided to eat lunch here.

The waitress came to my table. "Are you ready to order?"

"Why not?" I said. "I'll have an iced tea. And I'll just wait until the other person is here to look at the menu." I looked up at her as she jotted my drink order down and walked away.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," a voice behind me said. "Traffic's a bitch." I turned to find Brett walking towards the table. He was dressed smartly, skinny jeans, loafers, and a tight white t-shirt with a pale blue vest snugly overtop.

I smiled. "Hey. It's okay. I just got here too." I laughed in my head. I was such a liar. "I just ordered my drink with the waitress a minute ago. I hope you don't mind."

"Nah," Brett said, swinging out the chair across from me and turning it around so his arms rested on the back of the chair. "So you ready to get started?"

"Yeah, go for it," I said, gratefully taking the tea the waitress brought.

So for the next forty minutes, he shot question after question at me. What I liked to do, what were my training strategies, and what I hoped to accomplish the day of the race, stuff like that. And then Brett asked me if I was competing for anyone special.

I hesitated for a second. "Yeah. I guess I am."

Brett looked intrigued. "Care to share?"

"I'm doing this for my dad. He died a few years ago, and he was a bigger surfer than I was. I hope I'm making him proud," I said, smiling sincerely through the tears pooling in my eyes.

Brett reached across the table for my hand that was lying by my plate. "I'm sorry I asked, I didn't mean to make you-"

"It's okay," I said, reassuring him.

Brett smiled and released my hand. "Okay then. That was the last question I had, and it looks like it's almost two o'clock now, so do you wanna wrap this up?"

Actually I didn't but I agreed anyway.

Brett motioned to the waitress that we were ready for the check and I reached into my wallet for a twenty to cover my meal.

"Don't," Brett said. "I got it covered."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yeah, lunch is on me. After all, I did drag you all the way out into San Francisco."

"I didn't mind," I said, smiling up at him. "This was really nice. Thanks for interviewing me."

"No problem. I'll let you know when the magazine will come out and I'll send you a free copy of it."

"Seriously? Thanks," I said, standing up. My phone rang. "Oh crap, I really do have to go or I'm going to be late. Thanks again for lunch," I called as I walked away.

"No problem. Thanks for the interview," he called back. I waved over my shoulder in acknowledgment, pushed the door open, and stepped into the sunny warmth of San Francisco.

* * *

"I cannot believe he paid for your meal! That is totally a date!"

Cassidy had shown up for training demanding to know what happened. And now I was regretting telling her.

"No, it's not Cass. It was just an interview. And I totally ruined it with my tears. Tears freak guys out," I said, as I was finishing up a round of sit-ups. My back was starting to burn from the hot sand.

"It was _not_," she insisted, reaching down to help me up. "You seriously need to call this guy and see if he wants to go on a date with you. Now get in the water and float for a few seconds. You need to put your heart rate down and be totally calm for us to start the next exercise."

Ten minutes later, I found myself trying to surf a wave. Blind. Well, not totally blind. I had my eyes closed. But still, it was freaky. "I have no idea where I'm going!" I shouted over the wind as I wiped out for the third time in five minutes.

"That's the point. You need to have all your senses alert during the competition. Your eyes will be focused on the cheering crowd. And all you will hear are those cheers. So we need to direct your senses elsewhere: your balance."

Cassidy walked over to her duffel bag on the stairs and pulled out a pair of earplugs.

"Oh no," I said, backing away.

"Oh yes," Cassidy, said, holding out her hand for me to take the plugs.

I found out that if you cannot see or hear, your sense of balance is, in fact, not increased. If anything, it makes it worse. Way worse.

Cassidy was impatient by the time I finally trudged to shore. "That was terrible," she said, running her fingers through her hair.

"What did you expect?" I asked, getting angry. "You try it, it's not as easy as it looks."

"Try it again. And this time, no distractions. None. Clear your mind and focus on where you want to go," Cassidy said, calm and cool.

I grumbled and stalked back into the water. As I paddled further out, I tried to clear my head, thinking nothing. But thoughts of the upcoming competition kept creeping up on me.

"Shake it off!" Cassidy yelled from the shore.

Yeah. I wanted to shake something all right, and it was yelling at me from the safety of land.

But I did what she asked and thought blank thoughts, just seeing the water and my destination in my mind. I put in my earplugs and picked a wave.

Though I was very shaky, I made it to shore on my board. Cassidy was almost beside herself.

"That was amazing! You look so graceful!" she said.

"What?" I asked, taking the plugs out of my ears.

"You were fantastic," she gushed, running over and giving me a high-five.

"Thanks," I said, breaking into a grin. "That was a pretty cool feeling."

"I could tell. You were enjoying yourself. Anyway, I really have to run, I have a doctor's appointment. But you are going to practice yoga every day for _at least_ an hour, to help get you focused and make your new method of surfing easier. I will be back at the end of the week for another training. I've got to run. Kisses!" she said, and took off running up the stairs to her car.

I sighed and plopped down in the sand. No way in hell was I doing anything else today.

* * *

The next twos days found me sitting in my backyard doing yoga at high noon. It was annoying. I did not have the patience for such a practice, and I was cranky and sweaty by the time my hour was up. I had just thrown my yoga mat into my closet and was going into the kitchen for a bottle of water when my doorbell rang.

I sighed and let out a few choice words, then hurried to get the door.

"Hey," I said in surprise, when I opened the door to find Brett standing there.

"Hey. I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time," he said, glancing at my sports bra, yoga pants, and my flat six-pack glistening with sweat.

"Oh, no I was just out back doing yoga. Come on in."

"So you live here on your own?" Brett asked, following me into the kitchen where I got a glass of ice tea for him from the fridge.

"Uh, yeah. I used to live here when I was little, my mom never sold it after my dad died, I had a, um, disagreement with my family and I have been here ever since." I plopped down in the chair across from his at the kitchen island.

"Wow," Brett said impressed. "Heavy."

"No kidding. So what's up?" I asked, getting down to business.

"Well, I said I was going to give you a copy of the magazine before it came out, so here." Brett reached into his back pocket and pulled out a rolled up copy of _Soul Sports_.

"Shut up! You came all the way out here to give me a copy? Wow," I said, taking the magazine and flipping through it.

"Here," said Brett, handing me an envelope.

"What's this?" I asked, opening it.

"Your payment."

"For what?" I asked, staring at the figure on the check. It had _a lot_ of zeroes.

My boss liked your interview so much he promoted me to a paid internship and made you the main article. You also get a free yearlong subscription. Congratulations," Brett said, smiling.

"Really? Wow, that is amazing! Congrats to you too," I said, standing up. "Hey, have you already eaten lunch?"

"No, I was going to stop on my way home."

"Do you want to stay for lunch then? I owe you."

"Oh. Okay, sure," Brett said, looking momentarily surprised.

"C'mon then," I said, gesturing to the backyard. "I'll be right out with the food."

Brett was standing in front of the picket fence near the edge of the cliff, looking out at the ocean. "It's beautiful," he said without turning around.

"Tell me about it. Do you want to eat down there?"

"Wait, we can?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind getting sand in your pants," I laughed. "My parents own a part of the beach, so I go down there all the time. It's my practice spot."

"I would _love _to eat on the beach," Brett said, helping me with the food.

"Sweet," I said, and I showed him to the stairs.

An hour later, Brett was helping me with the dishes in the kitchen. "It was really cool of you to come and give me the magazine," I said.

"No problem, I was happy to do it."

"You don't have to help me with the dishes."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah, I've got it."

"Cool. 'Cause I really should get to work." Brett started for the door.

I called out to him. "Hey. Are you coming to the competition next week?" I asked.

"Nah. Only legit press people get access. All the other spectators have to have a ticket personally given to them," he said, stopping and turning towards me.

"Like this?" I walked over to the counter and swiped a bright pink ticket off of it. I handed it to Brett.

"Is this for me? Seriously?" he asked, staring at me.

"Yeah. It's an extra. I was seriously just going to throw it away, so it's all yours."

"Oh my god, thank you so much," he said, giving me a hug.

"No problem," I said, feeling my heart rate speed up as he let go. "So I guess I'll see you next week."

"Yeah. I guess you will." He smiled at me, then turned and walked out the door without another word, or even so much as a goodbye.

* * *

A/N- review please :)


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

The day of the competition was cloudy and cool, something rare for California, even rarer in the summer.

I was shaking with nerves since I first rolled out of bed this morning, which was different for me. I didn't know how to handle it, but I tried to keep it under control.

I put on my new suit that I had saved up for and bought just for this occasion, aqua and white striped boardshorts (the tiny kind that went an inch below your butt) that had black belt stripes (though why anyone would have a belt on while surfing was a mystery to me) and a three-quarter sleeved rashguard that was done baseball shirt style, black with aqua sleeves.

I did my hair into three separate braids and then wove them together to make a sort of triple braid. I needed no makeup.

My mom, Jess, and Cassidy were meeting me at the competition. Jay had to work, but was coming a little later to see my time slot. Needless to say, Maria was not invited.

I had waxed my board two days ago and I gingerly put it in my car when it was time to go.

The sun was just coming over the horizon as I sped off the deserted road and onto the highway.

* * *

"I cannot _believe_ there is hardly any sun," Cassidy complained as she met me at my car. "I was hoping to get a tan! If I have to be standing out in the sun for twelve hours, I would at least like to show proof!" She harrumphed and took my bag from me so I could carry my board.

"Yeah. Your life is so hard," I said sarcastically with a smile as I walked across the sand. "You just have to stand out here on the sand and look pretty."

"Oh, Ell, I'm sorry, I didn't even think how nervous you'd be…" she trailed off.

"It's fine," I lied, faking a smile. "I'm not nervous." Wow. I'm just full of lies today.

"Psh, are not. Here." Cassidy handed me a bottle of Green Tea. "It's the ultimate relaxation."

I smiled for real this time. "Thanks," I told her.

A volunteer for the competition led us to a row of private wooden cabanas. They were each about the size of a two-car garage and looked like they belonged in a tropical paradise, and not a temporary place for the competitors.

The volunteer consulted her clipboard. "You have cabana twenty-six," she said. "Someone will come get you twenty minutes before your time slot. There is a TV in there with a live feed of the competition, and just buzz us if you need anything! Good luck," told me, and hurried away.

I turned to Cassidy. "We are definitely not in Cali anymore," I said, and followed her to Cabana Twenty-Six.

The cabana had a mini-fridge full of energy drinks and snacks, three lounge chairs surrounding a small glass table and flat-screen TV, a bathroom, changing room, and even a little elliptical in the corner for serious competitors. The room was also full of tropical plants, so it smelled _incredible_. There was an A/C thermostat in the corner, but it was not on, and the temperature was sweltering, just the way I liked it.

"Okay. What are we going to do between now and your time slot?" Cassidy asked, picking up a TV guide from the table and fanning herself with it.

"I don't know," I said, walking once around the cabana.

"When is your time slot anyway?" she asked, sitting down on a lounge chair.

"5:15," I said glumly. "I have to freaking wait in this thing for ten hours. With nothing to do."

Cassidy let out a whistle. "Can you leave?"

"I guess," I said doubtfully.

Just then, there was a knock on the cabana door.

I went over and opened it to find my mom and Jessica. Jessica was carrying a gift bag, which she handed to me.

"Here!" she said. "Open it."

My mom laughed and gave me a hug. "She insisted we give it to you now."

I gestured for my mom to sit down and I got her and Jessica water from the fridge.

"This is some place," my mom said, taking it all in.

"Yeah," I agreed, opening the bag. "Oh wow," I said. Inside was a jewelry box that contained two charms. One said _Daddy's Little Girl_ and the other was a trophy.

"For when you win," my mom said smiling.

I laughed and got up to hug her. "I haven't won," I said.

"But you will," Cassidy said confidently.

"You aren't finished," my mom said, and I dug through the bag. I found a tiny pink flower, a Sun Rose.

My parents had given me a bouquet of these after I won my first competition.

"Thanks," I said, tucking it behind my ear, trying hard not to cry.

"Aw, don't cry," Jessica said, coming over to pat me on the hand.

"Your father would be so proud of you," my mom said, also coming over.

"Okay, this is getting too teary. It's a competition for heaven's sakes, not a funeral!" Cassidy said, exasperated. She stood up. "Come on! We have all day to enjoy the festivities! So let's _go_!"

I wiped at my eyes and put the charms on my anklet. "Okay. Let's go see what this WCSC has to offer!" I said cheerfully, putting my arm around my best friend's shoulder.

My mom grabbed Jessica and we left the cabana.

* * *

The WCSC was really amazing. It was apparently a huge deal, and not just for everybody on the West Coast of the U.S. They had some carnival games and prizes, food vendors, and even the hotel across the street had deals on rooms for people in the competition and some festivities in the parking lot.

The whole competition spanned over three days and every night they showed movies on the beach. I was one of the lucky thirty to go today and not have the anxiety of waiting another one or two days to compete, but I was allowed to stay in the cabana for the entire competition in case I wanted to view the rest of my opponents.

"Come on!" Cassidy yelled as she tugged on my arm. "We need to get in line to buy tickets!"

So, a few hours later it was nearing lunchtime, we were on top of the world (literally, I was on a Ferris Wheel), and my butterflies in my stomach had been replaced by an insistent growling.

"Okay, we seriously need to eat. Like, now," I said, as we walked off the ride.

The others agreed and we walked off in search of food.

We had just sat down on the beach, away from the competition and chaos, but with plenty of other people that had the same idea, when the screaming started.

My head turned in the direction of the screams. A crowd had formed around a newcomer who was trying to walk onto the beach. I couldn't tell who it was, much less if it was a guy or girl.

Cassidy gasped. "Oh. My. God. It's him!"

"Huh?" I asked, with my mouth full of salad (hey I didn't keep up my toned figure by eating hamburgers and I _so_ did not want to feel bloated while I was competing). "Him who?"

"_Him_, him."

"Speak English Cassidy," my mom said, helping Jess cut up her hot dog.

"The mystery guy!" she squealed, finally spitting it out. My head whipped around so fast I was lucky I didn't snap my neck.

"Where?"

"Jesus, Ell, chill," Cassidy laughed.

"I have to talk to him!" I said, scrambling to my feet.

"Honey, you won't be able to get anywhere near him. Look at all those fans."

As always, my best friend was right. I sat back down, dejected. "Ugh. I hate having to go up against him and not even know how he surfs, his tactics, and crap."

"Well if it's any consolation," Cassidy said, flipping through a program that she had stolen from an empty table, "He's going an hour before you, so you can scope him out then."

I fist-punched the air. "Yesss!" I said, ignoring the looks from the people around us.

"Excuse me?"

I turned around to find a little boy, around the age of ten.

"Yeah?"

"Are you Melissa?"

"Uh huh," I said, feeling really confused.

"Can I have your autograph? I just read about you in _Soul Sports _and I'm rooting for you in the WCSC." He had such a nervous and hopeful look on his face that my mouth knew the answer before my brain did.

I heard Cassidy give a soft _Aww _behind me and I grinned.

"Of course!" I told him and his face lit up. "Do you have a pen?"

"Yeah," he said, and he handed me a program and a permanent marker.

"What's your name?" I asked, marker hovering over the paper.

"Seth," he said, still smiling.

"Okay. Seth, don't ever give up on your dream. It will all be worth it in the end, no matter what life throws at you. Ellie," I said as I wrote. "Here you go," I said, handing it back to him.

"Thank you _so_ much," he said and he took off running down the beach.

I turned to my mom and Cassidy. "That was so freaking cool!" I said. My nerves were all gone. That little kid had done what even Cassidy or I could have done. It made me confident that I could win.

* * *

At four o'clock, I went into the area of the beach sectioned off for the competition, Cassidy in tow. My mom and Jess were meeting Jay for an early dinner before coming to see me.

"I'm so excited!" Cassidy squealed, gripping my arm in a vice-like grip.

"Ow." I shook my arm loose. "Chill. We are just here to kinda see what his style is like and then I have to go to the cabana and get myself mentally ready."

Cassidy snorted. "Sure."

They called out his number, since in this competition they weren't bothered by names, and he walked out from the waiting tent behind the judges' table.

He wore his trademark baseball hat and dark sunglasses. He wore a bright blue pair of swim trunks and no shirt.

I tried hard not to gasp. He had rock-hard abs and _very_ toned arm muscles. "Holy hotdogs," I said under my breath.

Cassidy started laughing. "Oh my god, he is one hot hunk."

I swatted her arm. "Shh! He's starting!"

Cassidy grumbled under her breath that people could talk, but I shot her a look.

The crowd was going wild. It had definitely increased in size since the performer before the 'mystery guy' and the noise was almost unbearable.

I clapped along, but I was silent as I pushed to the front of the crowd to try and get a heads up on what I was up against.

And I was up against a lot. This guy was good, unlike any other surfer I had seen before. His style was totally different. Most guys' surf styles could be categorized in two ways: reckless and even more reckless. His style was calm and cool. His movements were fluid, his tricks were flawless, and his board seemed to know what it was doing before he did.

Pretty soon, I had made my way to the very point of the crowd and was clapping and screaming along with everybody else, probably even louder. Cassidy just stood there with a smirk on her face.

I turned to glare. "What?"

"Nothing," she said and turned her focus to the surfer.

He was doing perfect. And then something went wrong. He lost his focus and turned his head in the direction of the cheers. That one slip up cost him. His arms shook and his feet slipped as he tried to regain balance on his board. He didn't fall, but it was a close call.

The crowd groaned in unison, we knew he would be deducted points.

When his round was finally finished, he walked up on the shore, careful to avoid the crowds, which was difficult, because they were trying to push past the boundaries and get to him. He shook his head as he walked, as if he knew how he screwed up. And I still couldn't tell who he was, which really ticked me off.

"Okay. Time to go," I said, pulling Cassidy's arm and dragging her back to the cabana.

I did a slow paced workout on the elliptical for five minutes, then pulled my yoga mat out of my bag and started doing yoga to calm my increasing nerves.

Cassidy, who knew better than to interrupt me, sat on a chair and watched the competition, volume on mute.

When it neared five o'clock, I grabbed my water bottle, sunglasses, and surfboard. I sprayed myself with sunscreen and Cassidy walked with me to the waiting area.

I looked around. There was no one else in the tent since at 5:30 they were stopping for the day. I took a deep breath and sat down in one of the plastic chairs that filled the tent.

A volunteer came in and told Cassidy she had to leave. "Look for me in the crowd," she said as she hugged me.

"How will I know where you are?" I asked.

"Oh, trust me, you'll know," she said, grinning mischievously.

I nodded and Cassidy walked out of the tent and into the gloomy day.

* * *

**A/N**- okay so i think its only another chapter (maybe 2 depending on if i can squeeze all that i want to into 1 ch) and then possibly and epilogue (but only if i get enough reviews, if not you guys are left hanging haha) and that'll be it! keep the reviews coming! snd oh, when im done this story (or now) check out my others on both this site and and i will be adding some new stuff a couple of weeks or so after im done this one! thanks for being a faithful reader!


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

My name was finally called, ten minutes after my starting time. I walked out of the tent and was momentarily stunned. The crowd was at least twice as large as when the mystery guy was surfing. And they were cheering. For _me_!

But trying not to get distracted, I walked by, calm and cool, ignoring their hands waving and the calling of my name.

I signaled to the judges that I was ready; I put on my sunglasses and sauntered to the edge of the water. I stood there for a moment, letting the waves lap at my feet, getting a feel for the water, connecting with it.

I walked in, blocking out the cheers of the crowd behind me.

As I paddled further out, I went over my routine in my head. But the second half of it was blank.

Crap. Crap, crap, crap, _crap._ I was starting to freak out. I tried to breathe deeply to get my heart rate down, and I was so focused on this that I lost concentration on everything else.

I could hear the crowds again. And that was apparently just what I needed.

One voice, though, stood out from all the others. Cassidy was doing her own little cheer at the top of her lungs. "Ellie, Ellie, she's our chick, if she doesn't win, y'all can suck my-!" Someone, presumably my mother, cut her off before she finished, but I think I, along with the rest of California, could tell what she was about to say. Several people were laughing.

Then my mom, Jay, Cassidy, and some other voice called my name "Go, girl. C'mon, Ell!" I risked a glance toward shore. Brett was there with my family!

The presence of him and the rest of my family at the front of the crowd erased my nerves and I could remember my entire routine once again. I scanned the horizon and waited for a wave.

* * *

I stumbled onto the shore, the adrenaline wearing off and being replaced by exhaustion.

For fifteen minutes, I had executed near-perfect rodeo flips, 360s, alley oops, and back/frontside airs. I had not stumbled or fallen. And I was very proud of how I did, but I still felt that I had not quite measured up to the mystery surfer.

The cheers coming from the crowd in front of me told me otherwise. They were shouting, clapping, and cheering my name.

I grinned and waved, all the exhaustion suddenly gone. Cassidy had somehow managed to get around the guards and tape boundaries holding back the grounds and she rammed into me, squeezing me tight.

"Oh. My. God. You were fantastic!" she squealed.

I coughed. "Can't breathe," I said, but hugging her back all the same.

She gasped.

"What?"

"Turn around," she said, excitement in her voice. The judges had stood up from their seats and were giving me a round of applause.

Oh my god. The judges were giving _me_ a standing ovation. I couldn't help it, I started jumping up and down, still clinging on to Cassidy.

The next thing I know, my mom, Jay, Jess, and Brett were all hugging me too.

And then everything went black.

* * *

"Melissa. Melissa!" Somebody was calling my name. And they wouldn't shut up.

I opened my eyes only to find that all I could see was white. "What?" I asked, feeling quite grumpy.

"Oh my god, she's awake. She's awake!" Cassidy's face popped into my view.

"Of course I am, you idiot," I said, trying to sit up. Oh no, bad idea. I quickly lay down.

My mom leaned over me. "You passed out honey," she said, and put a cool cloth on my forehead. Once she did that, I noticed that I was clammy all over.

"The doctor said you were extremely dehydrated and had minor sunstroke," she told me. I groaned mentally.

After a few minutes and some gross tasting substance that the doctor practically forced down my throat, I was feeling a little better.  
I sat up and was grateful the room was not spinning. "Oh man I feel..." I paused, trying to think of the right word. "Hung over. "  
Cassidy laughed. "She's back to normal," she announced in relief.  
"You gave us and the crowd a scare," Jay said.  
"Great. Everybody probably thinks I'm some anorexic athlete," I said, groaning.  
That comment greeted me with another laugh and Cassidy went on to explain that the crowd had tried to get past all the barriers to get to me and make sure I was okay.  
I smiled. Don't get me wrong; I liked my privacy as much as the next person, but all this attention made me feel amazing. It boosted my confidence like you wouldn't believe.  
"Come on. We're going to go meet your fans and let them know you are okay," Cassidy said.  
"I expect her home in one piece, Cassidy," my mom warned my best friend.  
The person in question smiled innocently. "Who, me?"  
My mom rolled her eyes and gave me a quick hug. "I guess it's up to you to be the responsible one," she whispered. "Be home before midnight, no drinking, no going to stripper bars to celebrate, no animal rituals, no getting pregnant," my mom said in a louder voice. "Be responsible. And with those last words of wisdom and warning, we're leaving. Oh. And drink plenty; we don't want you getting dehydrated again. But make sure it has no alcohol."  
And with that cheery comment, she whisked Jay and Jessica out the door and left Cassidy and me to our own devices.  
"So. What do we do now?" I asked, getting out of the chair.  
"I was serious when I said you had to go see fans," Cassidy said, smirking gleefully.  
"Ohhh no," I said.  
Cassidy grinned. "Ohhh yeah. "

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me," I said as Cassidy led me right into the heart of the festival.  
"I don't kid," Cassidy said, mock serious. "Let's go."  
I had changed out of my wet swimwear and into a cute white sundress and left my hair in the braid. I had wanted sunglasses since the clouds were finally disappearing, but Cassidy had whisked them off my face, claiming that people wouldn't know who I was. I rolled my eyes, but relented.  
As soon as we stepped into the crowd, I was surrounded.  
Now you would think surfing is not like football or soccer with the fan base, which it totally wasn't. But these were people who came from all over the country to come see this competition, all the sports magazine readers who saw me and took an interest in me or the other big surfers or were from the coast and had people from their home state competing. Either way, it was a lot of people. I had to remind myself how to breathe.  
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, mentally psyching myself up.  
After a second or two I opened my eyes and a wide grin spread across my face.  
"Ok who wants an autograph?" I heard myself say. I was answered with a chorus of agreement. I walked over to a chair near a concession stand. I was going to need all of my energy for this and I wasn't about to waste it standing.

* * *

Two hours later Cassidy saved me. "Ok you're killing her here," she said to the crowd. I shot her a look.  
"Cassidy!" I said.  
She returned the look with one of her own and turned to face the crowd. "You, you, and you," she said, pointing out the next three people in line. "Y'all are the last in line. Sorry, but we've got someplace to be."  
The people behind the lucky three groaned and slowly dispersed.  
When we were down to only a few stragglers, who were watching me sign various items, the crowd who was previously gathered around me let out a collective gasp.  
I looked up to see that the mysterious surfer had entered the carnival.  
He was still wearing a baseball cap and glasses, even though it was starting to get dark. But to my relief, he had changed from his swim trunks into a graphic tee and baggy jeans, despite the fact that it was extremely humid out. I didn't mind, since the less clothing he had on, the more places my mind seemed to be. I could see his hair this time, too, which made me even more optimistic that I could find out who it is. Bright blonde hair pokes out from under the backwards cap in the front and curled slightly upwards. Hmm. Still no idea.  
I hurriedly signed the last person's notebook they held out to be and stood up.  
"I need to meet him," I said to Cassidy. She nodded as I took off at a brisk walk.  
I was a few yards away from him when he turned to sign a fan's hat and he looked up and spotted me. His whole demeanor changed, he went from friendly and energetic to stiff and cautious.  
Ok, weird much?  
He said something quietly to the crowd and turned on the heel of his loafer and mall walked away, in the direction of the cabanas.  
Oh no he didn't. I increased my speed, determined to reach him. He turned a corner when he go to the rows of cabanas.  
I turned the same corner a few seconds later, only a few more steps from breaking into a run to catch him.  
But he was nowhere in sight.  
I sighed and stomped my foot in frustration, getting even angrier when my gladiator sandals filled with sand.

* * *

"Damn him!" I was pacing back and forth in my cabana a few minutes later with Cassidy packing up my stuff for me.  
Cassidy had already tried to calm me down, but seeing as that was going to be an impossible task, settled for getting my stuff and putting it in my car for me.  
"Okay Melly," she said, using the nickname she had saved for me for when she had to talk to me like a scared little kid who got herself backed into a corner. "Let's go. We'll get him tomorrow if it kills me." She handed me my board and we walked to my car.  
"What. Are. You. Doing?" Cassidy hissed through her gritted teeth as I pulled into the parking lot of the local bar.  
"What?" I asked, a picture of perfect innocence. "My mom said no stripper bars. This bar _clearly_ has no strippers," I said cheerfully, gesturing around me at the dozens of bikes, muscular tattooed bikers, and their whore-ific girlfriends who would have looked more in place at the local Hooters rather then being their biker boyfriend's arm candy until 3:00 am.  
Cassidy growled and glared at me. "I'm in charge of you tonight and you are _not_ going to get me in trouble by sneaking into a bar. Turn this car around and go home, Ellie."  
"I don't need a babysitter, Cass. If you don't want to have some fun tonight, then by all means call a cab and crash at my place. But I am here to party!" I cheered, but silently I wondered what had gotten into me.  
Cassidy was silent for a minute and I thought I had won. But I should have known better. "Go home right now or so help me, I will call your mother."  
Damn. I sighed and put the car in reverse. Cassidy smiled triumphantly.  
For the rest of the ride we were silent, her, quietly basking in her temporary glory of achievement and me, being pissed at her.  
It was pitch black when I pulled into an old abandoned lot a couple miles from home. Cassidy stirred from where she was resting her eyes, curled up in the corner of the passenger seat and the door.  
"Ellie," she said, wariness filling that one word, immediately making me feel like this was a mistake bringing her here. I should have just dropped her off at my house and snuck out without her.  
"Chillax," I told her. "No one over twenty-five will be here tonight. And they only serve alcohol _occasionally_."  
"And where, exactly _is_ here?"  
"Mean Teen. It's a club for teenagers and only the employees are allowed to be over twenty-five. It's awesome. Hot music, dance floor, food, and guys," I said excitedly.  
"And you go here?" Cassidy asked doubtfully.  
"Yeah, loads of times. I was just here last week. And thankfully someone had brought alcohol that night. I was in dire need of something strong. The employees turn a blind eye whenever someone brings alcohol. They don't care as long as no one brings any when an inspector is there to well, inspect."  
Cassidy let out a long sigh while I looked at her hopefully.  
"Fine. But two hours. No more." I squealed and hugged her, then reached under the back seat. I handed Cassidy a pile of clothes.  
"Here. We need to be dressed appropriately."

* * *

A few minutes later, we were strutting towards an old and crumbly brick building.  
I had let my braid out so my blonde hair bounced on my shoulders in perfect waves as I walked. I had changed from my sundress to tight skinny jeans with numerous tears, black gothic spike heels, and a baby blue tank top with a baby chicken in a block of ice on it with the phrase *one cool chick* in jeweled cursive that hugged my every curve.  
Cassidy, much to her dismay, was wearing a jean mini skirt with frayed edges and a fraying tear on her left butt cheek, red pumps, and a red and white silk kimono top that hid most of her curves, but cinched at the waist to let everybody know she had them. It was too late to do anything impressive with her hair, so it was pulled into a high ponytail on the top of her head, her straight hair having the same sexy effect that mine had, only in a completely different way.  
When we reached the door, I knocked on it four times. It opened to reveal a guy a few years older than me, with several piercings, dyed black hair that was spiked into a faux-hawk, and baggy black clothing with chains  
I immediately broke into a grin. "Garrett! Hey I didn't know you were working tonight!"  
Cassidy gave me a look that either said, you know this guy? Or do you really expect me to go in there if they all look like this? I couldn't really tell, but either way I ignored it.  
"Yeah. I'm filling in for Danny. He broke his ankle so he had to cancel his shift since he was at the hospital. Whose your friend?"  
"Cassidy, Garrett. Garrett, Cassidy. She's my coach person for the comp today," I explained.  
" Yeah how did that go?" he asked, intrigued.  
We went on like this for another minute or so but I noticed Cassidy kept glancing nervously at Garrett.  
Garrett must have noticed too, because he said, "Don't worry. I'm not as scary as I look," he told her, winking. He smiled when she turned bright red when she realized she was caught. "And again don't worry. I'm not your type," he said, laughing.  
Cassidy looked confused. "Garrett's gay," I explained with a smile. "But Garrett we really do have to get in, my friend has a stick up her ass that told me I only have a few hours here."  
We walked past him and into the club, immediately surrounded by pulsing music and teenagers.  
"Tonight's a wild one!" I heard Garret shout to me as we walked away.  
"Huh?" Cassidy asked, taking it all in.  
"He means someone brought alcohol so it's gonna be a little outta control," I said, walking over to the bar and sitting on a stool. I nodded to the bartender and turned to Cassidy who was staring at the bar like it had a deadly disease.  
"I usually survey the place first," I told her and patted the stool next to me. She sat down. "And by the time I'm done, someone usually asks me to dance."  
And sure enough, two minutes later two adorable guys who obviously knew each other came up to us and asked us if we wanted to dance.  
My best friend and I looked at each other.  
"Sure," we said in unison. And we abandoned our drinks and headed to the dance floor.

* * *

**A/N-** i have been on vacay so sry i havent uploaded earlier! i was done this ch a week or so ago but didnt have access to a comp to put it up...i should be done another ch within the week! review :)


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter twenty-seven**

"Oh man," I groaned as Cassidy pulled my car into a parking space at the competition early the next morning.  
Cassidy was looking fresh and relaxed as she climbed out of the drivers seat, dressed in simple capris, a Raiders jersey, and black high tops, with her freshly showered and wet hair down around her shoulders.  
I, on the other hand looked hung over. Which I was, don't get me wrong, but normally I could pull myself together by the time I had to greet the world. But not today. My personal drill sergeant aka my best friend pulled me out of bed (literally) before nine this morning after a whopping five hours of sleep. She had apparently dumped water on my head around 8:30, and when I hadn't made an appearance at nine, she resorted to pulling me out of my nice, cozy sheets via my elastic underwear band, resulting in one hell of a wedgie and a not-so-happy Ellie.  
I wore a pair of cutoff sweat shorts, a pair of flip flops, and a tank top that was previously a baggy T-shirt and had the arm holes cut off so my sides and neon exercise bra were showing. My hair was stringy and had all these funky twists and waves in it since I had dragged myself to the shower at 3:30 am this morning and promptly fell asleep when I was done, not bothering to do anything with my hair. This morning I had done what I could, but I put it up in a sloppy bun, threw on a pair of sunglasses, and called it a day.  
"You bring it upon yourself, Melissa," Cassidy chided as she put on a pair of designer glasses that some company had given to me to endorse.  
I didn't even have the energy to protest.  
"I do not," I complained. "Tell me you did not have fun last night and I'll give it a rest."  
Cass looked at me, blushing. I had caught her and her dance partner making out near the bar last night after I had left mine somewhere near the DJ booth to fend for himself. He totally wasn't my type.  
"Okay fine I had a good time. But that doesn't mean I had to get drunk to have it."  
Ooh she got me there. I didn't intend to drink that much, but I lost count after beer number two and martini number three. Cassidy, being the responsible friend she was, stopped me from poisoning myself and only had half a beer herself.  
"Touché. Do I smell like alcohol still?" I held my shirt out for Cassidy to smell.  
She sniffed daintily. "Nope. Smells like an Irish spring."  
"It's my new soap," I said proudly.  
Cassidy rolled her eyes. "C'mon. I do believe we have a competition to watch."  
I dutifully followed her to the cabana, nodding to fellow competitors and fans.  
When the second day of the competition officially started, I turned on the TV to see what I was up against, which wasn't much. I had a few people to be wary about, but nobody that I had to freak out over and start questioning how I did.  
"Oh. My. God."  
I didn't take my eyes of the screen. "What? Did you see a trick or something that I missed? 'Cause this girl isn't that good," I said, trying to figure out how to rewind.  
"No. Better," Cassidy said.  
"Huh? She's better than me? Really? I don't see it." now I was really squinting at the screen, wondering if we were watching the same thing. Apparently we weren't.  
"Come here already," my best friend said impatiently.  
I turned in my seat, surprised to see Cassidy was not in her chair, but at the front window, looking at something outside.  
I looked over her shoulder to see the mystery guy casually walking down the porch of a cabana three spaces down and across the path.  
He was wearing Vans, with baggy khaki shorts and a sweatshirt, with the hood on. He was wearing Ray Bans and listening to music.  
I was out the door before Cassidy could say another word.  
"Hey!" I shouted. He ignored me and kept walking.  
Time to play my way. I ran after him, he was only a few cabanas in front of me, so it wasn't that hard. When I got a few feet behind him, I could hear rock music coming from his headphones. Oh. That's why he didn't answer me.  
In one swift motion, I pulled down the hood of his sweatshirt.  
His hair was a natural blonde, not sun bleached like I had originally thought. It was normal length for a guy, stopping at the base of his neck and curling over his ears.  
He turned around in surprise. "What the hell?" he asked. Wait a second. I knew that voice. Oh no. "Ellie?"  
"Hey Brett," I said, flushing a bright red. "I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else."

"Um, that's okay…" he trailed off, still looking wary, like I would try to jump him any second.

"So what are you doing here?" I asked him, faking nonchalance.

"I'm covering the rest of the competition," he said, shaking his hair out of his eyes and taking out his headphones.

"Oh." Yeah, real smart reply.

"Yeah," Brett continued, either ignoring or not noticing my social awkwardness. "My boss has me doing an article on it and how various competitors line up against you."

"Me?" I asked. "Why me?"

"Because you are the main surfer in this event. It's what everyone has come here for. Everyone's betting on you to win this thing. Don't tell me you didn't know," he said, a surprised look on his face.

"No, I didn't. I don't pay attention to any of that stuff," I said honestly.

"Seriously?" he asked.

"Well, yeah. Why would I do that?"

"I don't know," he said thoughtfully, an odd look on his face. "I don't know."

"Well I better get going, I'm missing the competition," I said.

"Oh, yeah, you better. See you around."

Brett turned to walk away.

"Wait!" I called to him. He turned. "What where you doing here? These cabanas are for competitors."

"I was, um, visiting a friend, hoping to get some interviews for the magazine, you know how it is," he said, and he turned and walked away.

* * *

"I have something you will find _so_ interesting!" Cassidy shouted, as she ran down the stairs behind my house and onto the beach, where I was eating a watermelon and watching the sunset.

"Hmm?" I mumbled as I bit into a particularly juicy piece.

"Okay, so you know how you saw Brett outside your cabana-thingy?"

"Yeah…"

"So it turns out that he wasn't allowed in there," Cassidy said, practically bouncing up and down with excitement.

"What?"

"You can only be allowed access to the cabanas if you are visiting someone or you are a competitor."

"So what? He could have been given a press pass or something. Actually he said he was visiting a friend for an interview," I tacked on as an afterthought.

"Yeah but here's the thing. Press people aren't allowed back there. And I was able to get the list of competitors and their cabana number. Guess who else has a cabana in your row?"

"I don't know, Oprah?"

Cassidy gave me a look. "This is serious. The mystery guy! He has a cabana across the row and down past yours!"

"Still not seeing the point," I said, growing agitated.

"Don't you get it? The cabana we saw Brett coming out of was the same one the mystery surfer stays in."

"Oh." The pieces all started coming together now. Why they looked the same from the back, how Brett wasn't really coming to my competition to support me, but to get the inside scoop on his competition. That made me wonder… Did Brett even want to do an article on me or did he want to get inside my head, knowing that would mess me up?

I put my hand to my head. "Well this is fucked up. Brett is the mystery surfer," I said to myself, just to hear it. Hearing it would mean it was true. Hearing it would mean that I screwed up. Big time.

Cassidy put her hand on my shoulder. "What's done is done," she said simply. "You've done all you can, and now it is up to the judges to prove you kicked his ass."

I smiled and breathed. Cassidy always knew just what to say.

* * *

It was the fourth day of the competition. Everyone was done competing and today was the day the winners would be announced.

I hopped out of bed early that morning (no partying since that last almost fatal one) and jumped in the shower.

I was in the middle of drying my hair when the doorbell rang. Damn,

"Just kidding!" I heard a voice shout from somewhere in my house.

I rolled my eyes. "Why do you even bother ringing the doorbell if you're just going to walk right in? You know how much that pisses me off," I said.

"Then that's why I do it," Cassidy said as she calmly walked into my bedroom and started rooting around in my closet.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I shut off the blow dryer and stomped after her. "Get out of my stuff!"

"Hmm. That's what I thought," Cassidy said to herself and she tossed a bag down on my unmade bed.

"What did you think?" I asked, warily creeping up on the bag.

"Open it," she said impatiently. "Or you are going to be late."

Inside the bag was a dress, folded to perfection. I took it out and gave it a little shake. Oh my god.

It was a beaded chiffon cocktail dress. It was strapless and a bright green color, but not so bright you wanted to look away. Just the opposite in fact, it wanted you to look at it, see it's beauty. The top was form fitting and went down into a tutu shape, ending mid-thigh. The beads were silver and covered almost the entire bodice, but then stopped and were placed randomly around the skirt.

It was gorgeous. Breathtaking. Pure beauty. And expensive.

"Holy crap!" I said, when I noticed the price tag hanging off the back. "I can't afford this!"

"But I can," Cassidy said. "My treat."

"Seriously? I can't take-"

"You can and you will," Cassidy interrupted. "Now hurry I still have to do your hair for when you win!"

I rolled my eyes but graciously accepted the dress.

When I had it on, I realized I already had the perfect shoes to match.

I put on my watermelon pumps and went into the bathroom, where Cassidy was armed with a curling iron.

Twenty minutes and several almost-burns later, Cassidy had finished my hair.

I was now standing in front of the mirror, twirling for her.

She got out her camera and snapped photos, so I put my hand in front of the lens and copied her catch phrase of the day.

"We are going to be late, let's go!" I said and it was my turn to yank her to the car.

We were all set. I had my bag in the back and my best friend in the front, and I was pumped.

The only thing wrong was that the car wouldn't start.

"Not today," I groaned, and tried the key again. "Dammit!"

"We will not be late," Cassidy said, pulling me out of my car. "We'll take my vehicle." She gestured to her bike. Oh no.

* * *

"Sorry we're late," I wheezed as Cassidy and I came to a halt at the back of the crowd, where my mother was waiting anxiously. "We had a bit of car trouble."

"I see that," she said, taking in our windblown hair. "What did you do, run here?"

"We. Took. My. Bike," Cassidy gasped as she tried to catch her breath.

"We ran from the parking lot," I said, as I grabbed the water bottle my mother was holding out to me and took a big swig. "Did we make it in time?" I asked.

"Yes. They were running a little late, the line for check-in had gotten backed up," my mom explained. "I went ahead and checked you in, Ellie," she said, when I turned around to look for the check-in table.

Just when I was about to thank her, a commotion came from the makeshift stage they had set up. The winner was about to be announced.

* * *

**A/N- almost there :) read and review pleaseee!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter twenty-eight**

"No way." I clutched Cassidy. "Can you tell them to repeat that?"

Cassidy snorted, then pried my fingers off her arm. "Go, you idiot!" She shoved me towards the stage.

My name had just been called for the first place winner of the West Coast Surf Competition. I had just won 20,000 dollars. And my feet weren't moving.

"Oh for the love of college scholarships, _move_!" My mom pushed me.

I heard the crowd clapping and cheering as I made my way up to the stage to accept my medal and check.

I stood in the very center of the stage; the second place winner would go on my right and the third place to my left. Just like the Olympics, I told myself.

The director of the competition shook my hand and put the medal over my head, pausing for the press to take photos.

I stepped back into my spot and awaited the announcement of the second place winner. I had a pretty good idea who it was, too.

I saw Cassidy in the crowd and her eyes were on the same person as mine.

Brett was in the very front with all the other press people, their cameras at the ready.

"The second place winner of the WCSC and a 500 dollar gift card is…"

The whole crowd held their breath as the director paused for suspense.

"The surfer who wished to remain anonymous for personal reasons," the director finished, with a smile on her face. "But I guess he won't be so anonymous now."

A guy from the crowd wearing a hoodie and sunglasses stepped onto the stage. You gotta be freaking kidding me.

I exchanged looks with Cassidy, who was looking as stunned as I felt. He won and he still wanted to be disguised? Fine. Game on.

After he shook hands with the director and took his place next to me, I faced him head-on. "All right. Enough. Take it off _now_."

And with a single yank, his hood came off. The guy sighed and removed his sunglasses. Oh. My. God.

A collective gasp went through the crowd and the press began to wildly snap photographs.

I looked among the photographers. Brett was in the group, but he only snapped a photo or two, a bored look on his face. As if he knew all along. Bastard.

Cassidy found my eyes and thoughts raced through our best friend bond.

I was barely aware of the third place winner being announced and standing next to me. But I was hyper-aware of the guy standing next to me. My ex best friend. My ex-lover. My ex everything. Tanner Saboy.

* * *

"What the hell were you _thinking_?" I hissed as I dragged Tanner behind the stage as soon as the director said we could go. A party was being held in our honor later, but I was more concerned with the current situation.

Tanner said nothing, just stood in front of me silently, his arms crossed and a slight smirk on his face.

"Seriously! You must be completely mental! You jackass!" I kept ranting like this for a few more minutes.

"You done?" he asked me, still standing patiently.

I paused for a minute to take a deep breath. "Yes."

"Good." He turned and started to walk away but paused and turned to face me again. "Congrats by the way."

I growled as he walked around to the front of the stage, where the crowd was waiting for the top two winners of the competition for interviews.

"Screw it," I muttered under my breath, and I took the long way to the parking lot.

It was only when I got there that I realized I didn't have a car. And Cassidy was nowhere to be seen. But her bike was still here, which meant I had to go look for her. Oh goody.

I walked down to the stage area, where Cassidy was busy fielding questions from the reporters.

She saw me and shot me a desperate look. I held up a finger. _One minute_, I mouthed and she nodded.

I saw Brett on the outskirts of the crowd and yanked him backwards by the collar of his polo.

"My, my, someone's feeling a bit violent today," he chuckled as he was led away from the swarm of people.

"_So_ not in the mood," I told him, scowling. "Tell me what's going on."

Brett rolled his eyes. "Ask me nicely. Then I might reconsider."

I sighed and considered my options. "Fine. Tell me what's going on _please_. Before I shove your new camera up your ass."

Brett grinned. "Now was that so hard? I didn't know who it was, not as first. But after you chased Tanner down the first time, he came to me, he had seen me hanging around you, and asked to me to help distract you. I was coming from the meeting with him then, the time you rudely came up to me outside your cabana. I had to put the plan into action a little earlier than expected, but it worked didn't it?" he asked, a smug look on his face. "You thought it was me. Man, the look on your face when you pulled down that hood and saw me still standing in the audience, it was _priceless_."

My glare stopped him mid-laugh. "Oh c'mon. He asked. And I said yes. There's nothing to apologize for," he complained.

"He made me look like a complete ass out there!"

"Oh no. You did that all on your own. But luckily for you, his 'unmasking' led the press away from you acting like a madman. If it makes you feel any better," he said, turning away from me to go back to the crowd, "he was planning on telling you at the party. He had it all planned out."

Ok. Now I felt like a moron. But I had to rescue Cassidy.

"Okay, okay, sorry, I'm here, stop bugging her," I muttered as I pushed my way through the throng of reporters to get to my best friend.

"Ten minutes. And then I'm leaving," I said to them. And the inquisitive questions began.

* * *

After being hounded by questions, I never wanted to hear, _So how do you feel? _or _What was your reaction? _or_ What are you going to do now? _again. Ever.

I was relaxing at home and no one was around. Cassidy had gone home, probably figuring I needed some time to myself. My mom had also left, needing to go home to tell Jay the news. So more people could know about the turn of events this morning. Super.

Thankfully, I had another hour to pull myself together before I had to make an appearance at the party. Which I used to drink a glass of wine (shh) and meditate by the ocean to calm myself down.

By the time the party started, the urge to punch Tanner had simmered down into a small ball of irritation in my head and I was climbing into my party outfit, a denim jean mini skirt and a blue silk bubble top. I had enough of high heels to last a lifetime, so I traded in my pumps for my black high tops.

"Long time no see, old friend," I murmured as I slipped my sneakers on.

With a simple twist of my hair to get it out of my face, I was out the door.

* * *

"I was starting to think you chickened out on me," Cassidy said as she came up to me when I arrived.

"No. I had to fix my car." That wasn't a total lie. Fixing my trusty source of transportation had taken all of ten minutes. The rest of the time was spent drowning my sorrows in alcohol, but I wasn't about to tell her that. I didn't have to. She figured it out.

Cassidy took a step closer to me. "Breathe on me."

I did as she instructed and Cassidy scowled. "Ellie."

"Cassidy," I said, mimicking her scolding tone. "Chill. I'm not drunk. I wont make that mistake again," I added under my breath.

Cassidy backed up, apparently satisfied. "I need to go clear some things up. Save me a dance." She smirked at me and headed off into the crowd.

I looked around until I found an empty table, taking the glass of sparkling water someone handed me.

"I was hoping you'd show up," a voice behind me said.

I sighed loudly. "What."

"Can I sit?" Tanner came to the other side of the table and sat down without waiting for an answer from me.

"No," I grumbled, taking another drink.

"Too late," Tanner said, grinning. "I'm here. And so are you."

"Unfortunately."

Tanner's grin slid from his face and turned into a scowl. "Cut the crap."

"Excuse me?" I asked him, faux-calm, but inside the alcohol was causing my blood levels to rise to the extreme and I was using all my will power to keep from punching him.

"Stop pretending like you don't care that I'm here. You and I both know it was a shock to you to find out it was really me and not your lover boy under that cap. So talk."

"_That's_ why you are so pissed. You're jealous," I said.

"No way. Seriously. But stop trying to change the subject. You need to start talking or whatever because I am so confused and I wasn't even the one who unmasked some stranger who almost kicked your ass."

"You? How are _you_ confused? You weren't the one to find out that your ex-boyfriend and evil stepsister's _current_ boyfriend was secretly hiding right under your very nose, competing with you for the scholarship that you need to make it to college. You weren't the-" I vented. Then I stopped. "Oh."

Tanner grinned again. He had been goading her into spilling what was wrong.

"Damn you," I growled, not really meaning it. It felt good to get it off my chest. And surprisingly enough, I didn't mind him knowing all that. "You were always able to pull stuff out of me like that. Remember when we were little and I refused to tell you where I hid your stuff on the beach? You teased me by saying I didn't remember. So I had to prove it to you by telling you where it was." I smiled at the dim memory.

Tanner laughed. "Yeah. I have that effect on some people."

An uncomfortable silence fell. But then Tanner got serious. "So you couldn't of paid for school if you didn't win the competition?" he asked quietly, messing with the edge of the tablecloth, his eyes cast downward.

"Yeah." I was upbeat, positive, trying to show him that talking about this didn't really bother me. "But it's all good now, though."

"Good. You were amazing by the way. I was watching you on the TV. Even if I hadn't slipped up, you still would have beaten me."

I smiled. "I doubt it. Listen, this may seem like a totally inappropriate time to bring this up, but I feel like I need to say it now or else I will not be able to do it later." I paused and took a deep breath, but Tanner interrupted me.

"You don't have to apologize. I get it. I get why you did it and all that," Tanner said, looking at me. "But tell me one thing. Why was it so important to impress your sister?" He sat back in his chair, and clasped his hands together, waiting patiently.

"What are you talking about? I thought you said that you knew why you did it. I did it because Maria would tell my mom that I was in the hospital and I _really_ could not afford that at the time," I said, meeting his curious gaze for a second, before looking around the room.

"Liar." Tanner said it so quietly, I wasn't sure if I was hearing things.

"Excuse me?"

"You and I both know that's not why you did it."

"Okay. You know what? I'm done talking about this with you. Let's just call it even. A deception for a deception."

Tanner sighed. "Fine. I'll see you later." He got up to leave.

I sighed internally. I was given a second chance from somebody up above with a wickedly twisted sense of humor and now I blew it. I had been so close to getting my happily-ever-after. And now it would be out of reach indefinitely.

As Tanner walked away, he stopped and turned back to me. "You wanna dance?" he asked.

I reached for his outstretched hand.

Well, maybe not indefinitely. I might just get my fairytale ending after all.

* * *

A/N- review guys!


	29. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"Okay," I choked out, barely able to contain my laughter, "I give in, stop before I pee myself." Brett let out a laugh and sat back in the booth; satisfied he had made his point.

"So you are ticklish," he said. "Even if you don't think you are."

"I hate you," I grumbled, not really meaning it, as I reached for another slice of pizza.

Cassidy slapped my hand away. "Leave some for everybody else," she scolded, reaching for the piece I had just let go of.

"What did I miss?" Tanner slid into the round corner booth next to me and kissed me on the cheek.

"Well we just proved that Ellie here is quite ticklish," Cassidy said with her mouth full of gooey cheese.

"Yuck. I don't want to see that, Cass," I said. She stuck her tongue out at me, but swallowed before continuing.

"I tried to tickle her, but she tried to bite me, so Brett did the tickling while I held down her hands."

"It was horrible," I moaned. "I think my ribs are bruised." I turned to Tanner. "How was work?"

"Boring. Until some kid puked on the beach right in front of the store," he said, a thoughtful look on his face. I made one of the trainees clean it up before it could scare away any customers. Poor guy." He chuckled.

I laughed and slipped my arm around his waist as he reached for the last slice of pizza.

"Who finished off all the pie?" he asked, staring at Brett.

"Don't look at me man, look to your right," he said, grinning at me as Tanner turned to stare at me.

"_You_ ate all the pizza?" He couldn't keep the amazement out of his voice.

I rolled my eyes. "No. Brett's being a jerk. He ate all of it. I just had two pieces. Teaching little kids how to surf is harder than it looks. I'm so exhausted I could fall asleep right now." I looked at my phone. "But right now I gotta go. I've got class in two hours and my roommate is in the middle of an ex-boyfriend crisis. And I do not want to be driving in the dark," I said as I glanced out the window and noticed the setting sun. I gave Tanner a nudge to get out of the booth, and Cassidy and Brett went out on the other side.

"I'll walk you to your car," Tanner said, and hooked his thumb into the back pocket of my jeans.

Cassidy came over to me with Brett in tow, unclasping their hands long enough to give me a hug goodbye. "I will see you in a few weeks when I'm home, okay?" she asked. "We will go out for dinner, just the two of us. No obnoxious boyfriends allowed." She gave me a small smile. "Call me when you get there, just don't talk when you're driving."

I groaned. "You sound like my mother." But I promised her, hugged Brett, and walked with Tanner out to my car.

A few weeks after the competition and the scholarship money was deposited into my bank account, I headed off for college, a small university in California that was well known for marine biology, which I was currently studying. Even though I lived an hour or so away, the scholarship money covered room and board, so I was required to have a dorm there, which I shared with a girl named Laura, who was almost as good a friend to me as Cassidy. I came home every other day, the days I didn't have classes, to spend time with my boyfriend and family.

Tanner was living at my place and owned his own surf shack on the beach, working there when he wasn't taking classes at the local university.

Maria had shipped herself off to an exclusive private college in Europe, and my family rarely heard from her, which I am starting to believe was as good of news for Jay and my mom as it was for me.

My mom and Jay were better than ever, and had accepted the fact that I wasn't going to be moving in, even though we were past our disagreements. I was in college now, and we all agreed that it was time for me to leave the nest anyway, so there would be no sense in me moving back in.

Cassidy had hooked up with Brett a few days after the party for the competition, and was one of those on-again-off-again couples that were always more on than off.

She was currently going to school at Johns Hopkins and studying medicine, hoping to do some work with orphans in third-world countries when she finished school, and coming back every few weeks to visit me and Brett, who was still working at the magazine, only as a full-time employee instead of the lowly position he used to have.

Everything had worked out in the end, I thought to myself as Tanner pushed me against the car and gave me a kiss goodbye.

"Who said an ordinary girl can't have her own Prince Charming?" I asked, as Tanner pulled me in for a hug.

"You are no ordinary girl, Ellie," he said, opening the door to my Mustang and tossing my bags in the backseat.

I smiled and put on my blinker to turn out of the parking lot, waving to Tanner without looking back as I drove towards the setting sun and the ending of another chapter in my Cinderella story.

* * *

A/N- i cant believe im done! thank you to everybody who read (and reviewed) my story and waited patiently for all the updates, it means a lot knowing all of you stayed with me :) i am working on getting my story edited and possibly published so i will put another chapter (well update) on here if i do manage to get it out on shelves :) review and let me know your final thoughts, anything you would change, etc. thanks again guys!


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